Trust Me
by Penelope36
Summary: Continuation of 'Remember Me'. Will Nick and Macy's romance grow stronger or fizzle out during the summer? Expect drama as both of them try to cope during their time apart. Will they learn to trust or let jealousy get in the way? NACY. Rated: mature-T.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Rated T but some of the subject matter can be Rated M. This is a continuation of my other story 'Remember Me'. So if you haven't read that before this, you should check it out! Please? :-) Anyway enjoy.

**Chapter 1 Momma Misa**

"Wow…" was all Nick could say after his _love-fest_ with Macy. He was still trying to catch his breath because it seemed that Macy had been storing up some hidden pent-up energy since he just laid there for most of the time while Macy did most of the work.

"Yeah…wow," Macy agreed. She couldn't believe how _active_ she was with Nick.

"And all that for that promise ring," Nick sighed contently. They were both still amazed by how _satisfied_ they felt. They found great comfort with just lying next to each other on her bed in each other's embrace and they would have stayed like that for awhile longer until Nick noticed Macy's eyes grow wide with horror. "What is it, Mace?"

"_My mom_," was all she said when he too heard a car door slam shut from the street below.

"Shit! I think she came back early from my aunt's place!" Macy exclaimed as she quickly got up to put her clothes back on. "Nick! Hurry you need to get dress."

But the boy was already half-way into his trousers when they both heard the front door open.

"Macy! I'm home!" called Mrs. Misa. "Can you help me put some stuff away in the fridge. Your Auntie Jane cooked a feast for us!"

Macy was almost done buttoning up her blouse and Nick was finish putting on his cardigan when they both hurriedly went down the stairs to meet her mom.

"Nick?" her mom said curiously. She was surprised to see him there.

"Hi, Mrs. Misa," Nick greeted her while he did his best to hide his nervousness. "How are you doing today –um- I mean tonight?"

But Macy's mother didn't answer. Instead, her eyes narrowed with suspicion as she looked at him and her daughter. Macy knew that look so she quickly added, "Nick just came over to get a book he wanted to read."

She looked at the book she brought down with her as her excuse and sadly it was her limited edition book of Jonas Memorabilia. _Great. Out of all the books she could have grabbed she chose this one…_

"Yeah," as Nick received the book from her. "T-that's right. Thanks Macy. I just needed to see this…um…book about me and my brothers to…uh…know how the marketing of our merchandise is representing the band."

Macy nodded her head excitedly with agreement.

"Yeah. I say they are doing a great job, if I do say so myself," Macy piped in as she nervously looked at her mom.

But Mrs. Misa did not say anything at all. She knew better because she recognized that glow her daughter had on her cheeks. It was the same look she had when she made that miserable attempt to convince her that her hickey was a mosquito bite. But she excused her after that first incident because she knew her daughter wouldn't do anything stupid anymore. However, now she could not ignore the fact that not only did her child as well as Nick have that same _glow _about them but their hair was noticeably disheveled. And it might be his personal choice, but Mrs. Misa highly doubts that Nick Lucas, of the band Jonas, chose to freely wear pink lip-gloss which was smeared unevenly on his lips.

Macy and Nick exchanged a nervous glance.

"Well, I'll see you in school tomorrow," Nick said quickly and he was about to kiss her on the cheek but due to the tense situation he smartly chose otherwise and instead awkwardly, shook her hand.

Once he was gone, Macy needed to do some serious damage control. She grabbed the food packages that her mom brought home from her aunt's house.

"Yummy! These smell delicious," Macy said quickly. "Why did Auntie Jane cook so much for us anyway?"

But her mother didn't seem to want to engage in any conversation with her. Instead, she went up the stairs and Macy followed her. She knew she was going to hear it. When they reached their apartment, instead of making a left towards the kitchen, Mrs. Misa went the other way _towards Macy's room. _Macy tried to out run her but she blocked her path.

"Mom!" Macy cried out because she was afraid that she was going to open her door. "Wait…I can explain…"

But it was too late because once her mother opened the door the evidence was there. Mrs. Misa knew Nick didn't just come to pick up a book because if that was the case, then why were Macy's bed-sheets crumpled on her bed?

"I can't believe this," her mother muttered under her breath.

"It's ...uh…not what you think," Macy said feebly because she knew this was a losing battle.

Her mother wasn't paying her any attention as she began rummaging through her stuff.

Macy could feel her whole body go numb.

"W-what are you looking for m-mom?" she asked her nervously.

She was looking under her mattress and under her pillows but it wasn't there. She needed to confirm her suspicions and when her mother was about to open the drawer to her side-table Macy loudly yelled, "NO!"

Because there it was…_an opened box of condoms._

This time Macy was left speechless because there was no way she could get herself out of this one.

Her mom stood in her room for awhile looking at the box. Macy couldn't read her expression. She never saw her look like that before.

She dropped the box on the floor and as she passed Macy on her way out of the room she said severely, "I'm so disappointed in you."

To say Macy felt so ashamed would be an understatement because she never saw her mother look at her like that before. And it only got even more tense that night when Liam came home from his soccer game. Her brother who was usually clueless about everything could even sense that something was definitely wrong.

"What did you do?" he asked her.

But Macy kept her mouth shut because she didn't want her younger brother to know what she and Nick have been doing these past couple of months. Macy tried to talk to her mom but she would just get up and leave and whenever she tried speaking to her, her mom would immediately start having a conversation with Liam. _It was impossible to get her to even look at her. It was like she didn't exist._

"What is the matter with you, Mace?" Stella asked Macy the next day in school. "You're so out of it."

Macy spent the entire day sulking around in school while everyone else seemed to be reveling in the fact that school was almost done and summer was near. The petite brunette was in noticeably lower spirits and didn't seem to be speaking much to anyone which alarmed her best friend.

"Stella, my mom found out," she whispered to her as she looked around to make sure no one was listening to her conversation.

"About what?"

Macy wasn't comfortable about saying it out loud so she gave her a look that she hoped that Stella would understand. She wanted to take advantage of the fact that they shared a special best friend/ sister bond that transcended verbal communication but Stella wasn't utilizing this ability at that moment.

"What does that mean?" Stella asked her inquisitively as she copied the look Macy gave her.

"You know…" Macy repeated and this time she tried to emphasize the look again that gave the message that _my mom found out Nick and I are doing it._

But Stella still couldn't figure it out so Macy after sighing loudly in frustration said in a barely audible whisper, "My mom knows that Nick and I are having sex."

"WHAT?" Stella cried out. "I thought you and Nick were careful about keeping that a secret. I mean when you told me last month that you and him were doing it, I didn't even believe it and I still partly can't believe it now because I just can't picture you guys doing that."

Macy stared at her in shock as a blush crept on her cheeks and said in a whisper, "You try picturing us _doing that?"_

"Oh, you know what I mean!" Stella said as she too felt herself blushing. "Anyway, how did she find out?"

"She went to my room and saw the evidence…"Macy said sheepishly. She could feel herself becoming as red as a tomato.

"She saw you and him IN THE ACT?" Stella almost cried out in horror.

"NO! And Stella please don't be so loud!" Macy said as she looked around hoping that no one was eaves dropping. "She saw my bed and the box of condoms we use."

"Oh my gosh, Mace," Stella said as she placed an arm around her. "I'm so sorry about that. How did she take it though?"

"Well, she won't even look at me and the last thing she said to me was that she was so disappointed in me," Macy replied gloomily. "I'm so ashamed for having her find out that way…and I didn't even tell Nick that she knows."

"You're going to have to tell him sooner or later because I highly doubt he will be welcome again into your house," Stella pointed out.

"Yeah, you're right," agreed Macy but a part of her wanted to keep it to herself because she didn't want to freak Nick out too much.

So at the end of the day, Macy waited for Nick after his last class. He was more than glad to see her because she seemed to be avoiding him throughout the day.

"Hey, Mace," he greeted her happily as he kissed her on the cheek.

"Nick, we need to talk," she said seriously.

"Okay," he said hesitantly because he didn't like the tone in her voice. He knew enough about relationships to know that the phrase _we need to talk_ usually leads to something the other person wishes to avoid.

So they both went to the atrium and made sure no one was there.

"I'm so sorry about yesterday," Macy apologized. "I didn't know my mom was going to be back so soon."

"It's not your fault. If anything it's me who should be apologizing," Nick assured her. "I just hope you didn't get into too much trouble. She didn't suspect anything, right?"

"Well, that's the thing," Macy confessed. "Nick…she…um…knows why you were there."

"_What?_" Nick asked her disbelievingly. "How does she know? Did you tell her!"

"Of course not!" Macy retorted. "Why would you think I told her?"

"Then how does she know you and I had _you know_," Nick asked her questioningly. He could feel his cheeks burning up right now because the thought of her mom knowing about their sexual escapades was way too much for him to handle.

"She went into my room and saw my bed," Macy said quietly. "And she found the box of condoms we used."

"Shit…" was all Nick said. He put his arm around Macy to comfort her because she was visibly saddened by this. "How did she take it?"

"What do you think? She was so furious with me to the point that she won't even talk let alone look at me! I thought she was going to murder me in my sleep."

"Mace, I'm so sorry," Nick apologized. "Is there anything I can do?"

"The only thing I could think of is that you can't come to my place anymore."

"Of course, I won't come by," Nick admitted because he really didn't want to deal with the wrath of Mrs. Misa who just learned that he stole her daughter's innocence.

"And…I don't think I can be able to go with you on tour…" she said gloomily. She tried to hold back her tears but one escaped and so Nick held her tighter.

"Mace…really?" he said saddened by this fact. "I mean I guess that makes sense. But still…"

"I'm probably going to be grounded for life," Macy whined as she slumped against Nick. "I can't believe it…My life sucks right now."

Nick tried to rake his brain on how he can comfort his girlfriend but he too was depressed that she wouldn't be able to come on tour with him. _What could they do?_

They sat there together without saying anything because there really wasn't anything they both could offer to make them feel better about the situation. It must have been well past 5pm when they left school since the janitor kicked them out.

Nick walked her home but Macy made him stop midway so that her mom, whom she was sure would be watching, won't see him.

"Macy, if there's anything I can do to fix this, I would," Nick said before they parted ways.

"I know," Macy said depressed. "But I think this is going to take a while for this whole thing to blow over."

Nick could see the sadness in her eyes and he felt it too. He gave her a big hug.

"Just remember even when we're apart, I'll be thinking about you," Nick whispered into her ear.

"Same here," Macy whispered back.

Macy did not know what to expect when she reached home but the moment she arrived she felt the same amount of tension she experienced yesterday. If possible, she could have sworn it was more intense today.

"Macy Anne, please come in here," her mother called to her sternly from the living room.

Macy gulped because she knew this was going to be serious since she used her second name.

"Yes, mom."

"Sit down," she said indicated the chair in front of her. The moment she sat, Mrs. Misa laid it on her.

"What on earth do you think you are doing? To even do that with _that boy! _Do you know how much trouble you can get into? You can ruin your life! And just when you need to be concentrating on applying to college and getting athletic scholarships and academic scholarships! You're not the daughter I raised you up to be!

"Mom, I know you're upset but Nick and I are smart enough to take care of ourselves. And we are safe about-er- doing that. I mean—

"Are you listening to yourself? How is it safe for seventeen-year-olds to have sex?" her mother yelled. "He's a _rock-star, _Macy. He's not ready to have a serious relationship. He's just stringing you along—

"NO HE'S NOT!" Macy said angrily. She loved her mom but right now she was saying pretty offensive stuff about the boy she loves. "Nick and I love each other. He's not using me."

"Do you hear yourself? How naïve can you be? If you plan to get serious with some boy you need someone who has actual stable goals in his life like a doctor or lawyer, _not an entertainer_," her mother pointed out. "They just move from girl to girl—"

"I can't listen to this," Macy interrupted frustrated. "You're delusional. Nick is nothing like a _typical _rock-star. He's a gentleman."

"A gentleman doesn't take advantage of a pure innocent girl!" her mother yelled back.

"HE DIDN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ME!"Macy yelled back and said freely without realizing the effects of her words. "I was the one who wanted to have sex with him. He never pressured me to do anything I didn't want to do."

Her mother's eyes went wide in shock. She couldn't believe what she had just said. This was not her daughter. She was a stranger to say the least.

"_I don't know who you are anymore because you surely are not the daughter I thought you were,_" she said slowly. "I can't even look at you because are you really going to throw everything away for that boy? You have goals in life before you met him! Big goals! You can be a professional athlete or a phy-

"You know what mom? This is my life. I can do what I want," Macy answered her. "And even though Nick wasn't part of my life awhile ago, he is now and I would do anything for him."

"Are you saying you would throw everything away for _that boy?"_

"Yes. I would do it in a heart beat."

"Macy Anne, that boy is not good for you," her mother argued. "He's just using you until the next girl comes along. You need to break up with him or else-"

"OR else what, Mom? I can't listen to this anymore because you're telling me to give up the person I love the most," Macy said. "I can't do that. And if you can't accept him then it's fine because I love him. I'm sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear but there's no way I'm letting Nick go. I'm done with this."

And even though she wanted to mend things with her mom, she now was the one who couldn't be in the same room as her. Her mother called her back but Macy stood up and walked to her room and slammed the door. She skipped dinner and cried herself to sleep until she heard a knocking on her window. _What could that be?_

She looked outside and saw Nick in the sidewalk. He had been throwing rocks at her window. She rushed down and opened the door.

"Nick!" she yelled excitedly as she ran up to give him a big hug. "What are you doing here?"

She rested her head against his chest as she tightened her embrace around him.

"I just couldn't go without saying one last good-bye," he said. As he rested his head on top of hers.

"What time do you leave tomorrow?"

"Seven in the morning," he answered quietly. "I really wish you could come, Mace. Maybe I can kidnap you."

"I wish," Macy said. "But then my mom would disown me…hmm…but maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea considering what she said about you this afternoon."

"What did she say?" Nick asked her curiously as he pulled away from her. He was really interested in hearing this.

"She said that you weren't serious about me and that because you're a rock-star it's your habit to just string girls along and use them," Macy said scornfully.

"Wow…that's harsh. But doesn't she know my brothers and I are not _typical _rock-stars," Nick pointed out. "We don't exactly live a life of sex, drugs and alcohol. And we're not exactly womanizers. I mean what band wears purity rings on their fingers?"

Macy gave him a look and said, "Nick, you know your ring is meaningless now? I mean at the rate we've been doing it I'm surprised that ring hasn't burned off your finger."

Nick gave her a disdainful look and said, "Okay I know I'm not exactly keeping my promise but you have to admit, Mace, Jonas is the cleanest, most kid-friendly band out there. So you're mom shouldn't be worried about you dating me."

Nick felt uneasy because he was the type of guy who always felt the need to seek the approval of adults. And when he found out Mrs. Misa didn't approve of him, he found this as a direct stab to his ego. Macy could read his concern since it was apparent on his face.

"But forget about it," Macy said and then added in a seductive tone, which this time actually sounded quite seductive. "You're here now. Why don't we go upstairs and make another _memory_?"

Nick gave her a look and said "_A__re you serious? Do you want me dead or something?"_

Macy laughed and said, "My mom is a heavy sleeper. She can sleep through an entire thunderstorm and not suspect a thing. Come on, Nick…it will be _our goodbye_ before the summer."

As tempting as that may have sound, Nick really didn't want to risk his _and her life _as well for one night together. So he tried to refuse but Macy was giving him that look that said that she wanted him really bad. Being a boy with raging hormones, he threw caution to the wind and quietly followed her up to her room.

Macy wasn't sure where this dangerous steak was coming from. Maybe it was her form of rebellion against her mom who was being really unfair to Nick this afternoon. But she didn't dwell too much on it because Nick was there and she practically ripped his clothes off as they started making out quite aggressively on her bed. As much as Nick liked this wild side of Macy, he was overwhelmed by how forceful she was. He was adjusting to the sensation of her caresses and her kisses and then he realized that Macy was having a hard time fumbling with his belt.

"Mace, chill. It's okay I got it," Nick said as he unbuckled his belt with one hand as he chuckled a little bit because he was getting turned on by how desperate Macy seemed to be to have her way with him. "You really want this don't you—umph!

He couldn't finish what he wanted to say because Macy pushed him back down on the bed and continued kissing him fiercely. He felt her unzipping his pants and as much as he wanted her to take charge again he needed to find out what was going on with Macy. She was way too forceful. Something was up. Thankfully, his girlfriend was very petite (even though she possessed uncanny strength for such a small body) he was able to scoop her up and switch positions with her so that he was on top and she was pinned on the bed.

"Macy," he said concerned. "Is something wrong? Why are you so…um…aggressive today?"

"_Why_? Is it not good enough for you?" Macy replied in an almost scornful tone.

_This was not like her._

"What are you talking about?" Nick asked her concerned.

"I thought you like it when I'm rough," Macy pointed out as she tried to pull him down for another kiss but Nick stopped her. He tried to ignore the hurt in her eyes.

"Yeah, I do but this is not like that other time," Nick said referring to their time together after he gave her the promise ring. "Something's bothering you."

Macy didn't want to look into his eyes when she admitted that he was right because something was definitely bothering her and she blamed her mom for it. Because as much as she trusted Nick, it was other girls she couldn't trust, especially since she witnessed the whole Penny debacle that happened earlier this year. She didn't want to relive through that pain of seeing Nick being infatuated with another girl.

"What is it, Mace?" Nick asked her even more concerned.

Macy took a deep breath and said, "It's just that…you're a rock-star…"

"So…? Last time I checked, I was a rock-star when we started dating. That's nothing new."

"But Nick, you're going to be gone for three months and you're not single anymore…and there's going to be a lot of girls throwing themselves at you and I'm not going to be there…and—

"Mace, are you serious?" Nick said almost hurt by the accusation she was leading to. "You think I'm going to _cheat _on you?"

Macy gulped because she could tell that Nick was wounded by her accusation.

"I know you won't do it intentionally. And I trust you. It's just those _groupies _I don't trust," Macy admitted. She peeked up at him as she nervously played with a strand of her hair. He was insulted to say the least.

"Macy, you know me," Nick pointed out. "I'm not like that. I don't _string girls along._ And even though we won't be together, I'm going to call you every second I can get. Plus, this is not my first time touring with my brothers so I'm used to the groupies and all the _girls throwing themselves at me_ but I never once hooked up with any of them. That's not my style. You know me, Macy. I could never do that to you."

Macy knew she was stupid to even consider Nick cheating on her. If there was any guy in the world who would be voted most trustworthy and loyal it would be Nick Lucas.

Macy smiled and said, "I'm sorry I was just being dumb…I didn't mean to offend you."

Nick laughed and replied, "It's fine, Mace. I understand why you're so concerned. Besides if I was in your shoes I'd be worried too. I mean I am quite handsome. _Girls constantly throw themselves at me. They can be pretty crazy and wild. So how can I resist them?_"

Nick was purposely being ridiculous because he wanted to show how absurd the idea of him cheating on Macy really was. Macy got the point so she gave him a smirk and playfully punched his arm and said teasingly, "You're such a jerk. You know that?"

Nick smiled as he dipped his head closer to hers for a kiss.

"Yeah, but you love me so you're a jerk as well," Nick said slyly and as he lowered his head down for a kiss, he added. "Now why don't we continue where we left of?"

They both kissed each other passionately and their touches became even bolder. This time, Nick was the one undressing Macy but with much less aggression. They were much less forceful but so much more passionate.

"Nick, please…" Macy begged as she felt her whole being consumed with desire once there was no longer any clothing-barrier between them. "I want you…"

He nodded his head and opened the drawer as was his routine to reach for the box but he felt nothing. This time he got up and looked into her drawer and started taking things out as he looked for it. _This could not be happening. They were so ready…_

"Mace, where is it?" he asked her as he continued emptying her drawer.

"What?" she asked breathlessly.

"You know…the _condoms?"_ he asked her as fear struck in his eyes because he really, really wanted to do it.

"It should be there," Macy said in her lustful voice as she ran her hand through her hair. All she could think of right now was making love to Nick.

"Um, no its not, Mace," he answered as he now held the empty drawer in his hands.

"What?" Macy said as she now propped herself up on her elbows. Then the reason sank in her and she exclaimed. "SHIT! My mom probably took them."

Nick gave a big groan of frustration. _This could not be happening._ He got all worked up for it too because his current _condition _wasn't going to go away any time soon. Macy sensed his disappointment and she wasn't too thrilled by the fact that she wouldn't be able to do it with him so she knew it was dumb but she suggested it anyway.

"We could…um…do it without one…"

Nick looked at her incredulously.

"_Are you serious?"_ he asked and was clearly surprised by her suggestion. In normal circumstances he would have flat out refused, but these were _not_ normal circumstances and that was why Nick Lucas, the boy three points shy of being a genius, was actually considering having sex without protection.

Macy nodded her head because right now she was also not thinking straight.

"Yeah," Macy said lazily as she stroked his arm enticingly. Love can make you do crazy things and they both were not weighing in the seriousness of this decision.

Nick gulped as he considered this.

"What if you get pregnant?" he asked her seriously. Despite his sexual urges, Nick was very aware of the consequences that could happen.

"I mean just pull out when need be," Macy replied in the same lazy tone because she was so full of lust she needed to feel him. She pressed her body against his to show that she was serious about being very _risky _tonight.

"Come on, Nick. I won't see you for three months…I need to be with you tonight…please?" she begged him. _She really wasn't thinking straight._

He'd do anything for Macy and right now wasn't an exception because he wanted this as much as she did. And he didn't want to think about the consequences because she was right. They weren't going to be together for three months so they both _needed _each other.

So he turned towards her and he positioned himself but he paused before he did anything because he just needed to confirm it again.

"Are you sure, Mace?" he asked her tentatively.

"Nick, if you don't do it than I sure am going to," Macy said as she brought her hips closer to his. "I love you, Nick."

"I love you, too," he answered and after that moment the two engaged in a rather risky yet intimate _activity._

The next morning, Macy woke up to an empty bed. The only proof that Nick spent the night was the indentation on the pillow next to hers. She sighed and took the pillow into her hands as she gave it one last sniff so that she could remember his scent. She wanted to go back to sleep but she heard someone ringing the bell. No one seemed to have heard it so she reluctantly got out of bed to see who it was.

"Auntie Jane? What are you doing here?" Macy asked surprised to see her mom's younger sister on the front porch.

"It's the 24th isn't it?" her aunt replied.

"What?"

"Oh, Macy stop pretending! You're mother told me how you wanted to go with my family back to Pennsylvania and visit your old Auntie Wanda on her farm," her aunt said excitedly.

"WHAT?"

"Yeah, your mom called me last night and said how you missed your childhood days back there and how you wanted more than anything, to spend your whole summer in Martinsburg. So where's your stuff? The van is all packed. Your cousins will be so happy to spend some time with you!"

Macy was speechless because if there was one place on earth she wished to never go back it was the farm she and her brother grew up in when they were little kids. _Her mom was definitely determined to make her summer a living hell._

_

* * *

_

**Closing Remarks:**

Will Nick and Macy's love survive during their summer apart from each other? Will something happen to Macy from their last time _together_? See, how distance and jealousy can play a part in a seemingly perfect romance. Expect drama.

Since I'm in school, it's probably going to take me awhile to finish this. I have the basic idea where I want to go with this story. Review! Thanks!

-Penelope36


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 Cows and More Cows**

The sun was beginning to rise and Nick's internal alarm clock woke him up from his slumber. For a minute, he was confused by his surroundings because this was definitely not his room because his bedroom did not have floral print wall paper nor the frilly pillows he was sleeping on. Then he noticed a sleeping Macy next to him. She was embracing him tightly and then he registered that his skin was directly touching hers. He was naked and so was she and that's when he remembered the intimate details of what happened last night. _Crap. He screwed up big time._ Because he and Macy weren't safe about their time together and they usually were. He couldn't believe he gave into temptation so easily. But as much as he wanted to dwell on it, he knew that he had to leave because it was getting close to 7 am, the time he and his family were suppose to leave to go on tour. He carefully pried Macy's arms open to leave. He didn't want to wake her up because she seemed so peaceful. The minute he was free he quickly dressed up and placed a light kiss on her forehead.

"I love you, Mace," he whispered into her ear before he left.

Nick ran all the way home. He knew he was cutting it close because it was already ten minutes to leaving time. The second he entered the firehouse, his dad yelled, "Nick! Where on earth have you been? We're leaving right now!"

"Sorry, dad…I…just went to…um…you see…" Nick needed to come up with a good excuse because he didn't want to get in trouble so early on during the summer. Besides, he was supposed to be the poster child. He never got into trouble. He was freakin' Nick Lucas after all!

His dad was staring at him intently while waiting for his response.

"Well?" his father said impatiently.

"I just needed to have my morning run," Nick finally came up with. "Besides you know what they say. You can never have too much exercise! Gotta build up my stamina for tour…yeah…"

His dad gave him a look but because it was too early in the morning to question him even further, Mr. Lucas decided not to pry into the matter any more and said, "Well, alright. I didn't know that was part of your agenda. Anyway, get a move on. Even Joe got up early and I really want to stick to our schedule this time."

"Okay, no problem," Nick said as he took the stairs two at a time to get his trunk and luggage.

Loading into the bus ran smoothly without any incident. Once everyone got settled in, Nick plopped down into one of the comfy arm chairs in the bus' living room area and tried to get some shut eye. He was _exhausted._ But his attempt to sleep peacefully was foiled by his older brother.

"So, _Nicholas, _did you have a _nice morning run_?" Joe said with an amused smirk on his face. The way he said _morning run_ insinuated something more.

"Yes, _Joseph_," Nick replied casually with his eyes still closed. What he wanted more than anything was to be left alone so he could rest.

"Yeah, okay... like I really believe you ran at 6 in the morning," Joe retorted in a manner that clearly showed he did not believe his fib. "Besides what's that on your neck?"

Nick's hand immediately went up to the area where he knew Macy left a mark on him last night.

"It's a mosquito bite," Nick said copying Macy's excuse she had given to her mom before.

"Nick! You can't fool me," his brother replied. "I know you were with Macy!"

"Shhhhh! Joe, don't be so loud!" Nick said while sitting up straight and glaring at his brother. "You can't let mom and dad know."

"Of course, I won't rat you out," Joe said and then added. "But I got to hand it to you lil' bro. I never thought you'd be quite a daredevil after having a girlfriend. I mean, to sleep with Macy _in her home,_ while her mom was there, is pretty risky, especially since you told me that Mrs. Misa knows that you and her precious little daughter are not so innocent anymore. Hahahahaha."

"Joe, shut up," Nick said curtly. He regretted ever telling Joe anything about his love life.

But Joe didn't get the hint that Nick wanted to be left alone and so he continued his pestering and asked, "So how was it?"

Nick gave him a look that clearly said _you can't be serious!_

"_A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell, Joseph_," Nick said irritatingly.

"But I mean you didn't just kiss her," Joe snickered. "I assume there was a lot of touching and _thrusting_ as well."

If it was possible, Nick glared even more at him because he really didn't appreciate Joe's immaturity at this time. He was going too far with this and Nick didn't want to have any of it.

"Okay fine I'll back off," Joe said after getting the hint. "But at least tell me you were safe and used protection."

That got him. Nick gulped and shifted uncomfortably in his chair because he wasn't safe about it at all.

"Nick, you did use a condom, right?" Joe whispered to him in a now serious manner.

"Um…" was all Nick could say.

"Are you crazy!" Joe exclaimed but then added in a much more hushed tone. "What if you got her pregnant?"

Joe couldn't believe he was having this conversation with his younger brother because Nick was usually the most logical and responsible one.

He didn't like that Joe was putting him on the spot. It was usually the other way around because Nick, although he was younger, was more sensible than him. But Joe had good reason to lecture him because Nick knew that what he did was stupid and irresponsible but he needed to justify to himself that at least he was really careful about it all and so he said, while blushing, "Well I mean…I did pull out just in time so that shouldn't be a problem…right?"

"Nick! Are you serious! That's so risky! Was she even okay with it?"

Nick turned an even deeper shade of red. He couldn't look up at him now as he feebly admitted, "You see…um…she was the one who suggested it."

Joe gave a loud sigh of frustration. _This was so unlike Nick._

"How are you guys so irresponsible!" Joe exclaimed.

Nick was ashamed to even look up at him. It was getting really uncomfortable because he didn't like getting lectured to, especially by Joe—out of all people!

"So you never did it without protection?" Nick asked him sheepishly. _Was Joe really more careful and responsible than him when concerning this matter?_

His older brother shook his head and replied, "No. And plus, Stella's on the pill so we're extra careful when it comes to this kind of thing."

"Oh…" was all Nick could say at this time.

"But at least tell me you knew it was safe in her cycle?" Joe questioned him even further.

"Huh?" Nick asked him perplexed. _What cycle was he talking about?_ Nick didn't know how to respond to this but he needed to repeat what he said before because he needed to justify that he got things under control even though he doubted it himself.

"I mean...I told you I pulled out of Macy before I… _you know_… so there should really be nothing to worry about, right?" Nick asked him again rather desperately because he cannot fathom the idea of fathering a child at his age. There was no way Macy could become _that._ Even in his thoughts he couldn't say the word _pregnant_ because he felt like he could jinx it somehow.

Joe wanted to say something but they were interrupted by an inquisitive voice that asked, "What do you mean when you said you pulled out of Macy?"

Both of them turned around and saw their youngest brother, Frankie looking at them curiously with a bowl of cereal in his hand.

"Hey, Frankie," Nick said nervously. He looked at Joe for help because there was no way he was going to reveal that he just had risky sex with Macy to his eight-year-old brother especially since little Frankie had a huge crush on his girlfriend before.

But much to his dismay Joe quickly said, "I'm out."

And just before he left, he gave Nick a look that clearly said _you better take care of this._

Frankie took a seat next to him and continued to wait for Nick's response.

"What are you eating there, bro?" Nick asked him while hoping to change the subject.

"Crunchy Cats," Frankie replied but said hopefully, "But did you break up with Macy?"

Frankie was anticipating his answer because even though he told Nick that he was giving up on Macy, he didn't want to lose any chance with the pretty brunette now that Nick was back to normal. The youngest Lucas brother still reserved a soft spot for her. _She was his first crush after all._

"No!" Nick said quickly. "Why would you think that?"

"Because is that what you meant when you said you pulled out of Macy? You pulled out of the relationship?"

Nick gulped. That made sense but of course, that wasn't what _pulled out _meant. _It was far from it._ However, there was no way he was going to teach Frankie about the birds and the bees so he tried to think up of another excuse.

"N-no…but exactly how much of our conversation did you hear?" Nick asked him nervously.

"Just that part," Frankie answered but continued to peer at him curiously. "If you didn't break up with her, then what did you mean?"

Nick laughed nervously. _What could he say? _Because there was no way he was going to corrupt his brother's mind at such a young age. He loved him too much to ruin his childish naivety.

"You see when I said I pulled out of Macy…I…er…meant…I pulled out her HAIR! YEAH! That's it! I pulled out her hair," Nick said proudly because this kind of made sense.

"Why did you pull out her hair?" Frankie questioned him even further.

"Because she…uh…had…uh…GUM! Yeah, that's right she had gum stuck in her hair so I pulled it out," Nick said while chuckling nervously.

_Nice save, _he thought to himself.

"Okaaay…weirdo," Frankie replied but Nick didn't mind the name calling because he really didn't want to prolong this awkward conversation.

Even after all of this, Nick was still worried because he really didn't want to think of the consequences of last night. He tried calling Macy but her phone was off. That was odd. He'll try again later.

While Nick and his brothers were preparing for their tour, Macy found herself cramped in the back seat of a mini-van with her two ten-year-old twin cousins, Jacob and Jade.

"265!" yelled Jade as she punched Jacob.

"Wait I see more! 266! 267!" Jacob retaliated as he gave two extra hard punches to his twin sister.

Macy unfortunately was stuck in the middle as the twins decided to play a game similar to the license plate game but instead of plates, they counted the number of cows they saw on their drive down to Pennsylvania. And everywhere you looked, there were cows and more cows. She tried everything to get out of this trip but her Auntie Jane was so happy that Macy wanted to "join" her family for their summer vacation in their aunt's farm. And her ten-year-old cousins really did enjoy her company because like her, they were talented athletes and so they had a lot in common. But right now, Macy really did wish she came up with a good excuse to ditch them because the idea of spending every waking summer day in a farm that had no electricity was something she did not look forward to. She kept looking at her phone but it still didn't have any signal for her to call Nick. She really wanted to speak to him and hear his voice. She blushed when she thought about how intimate they were last night and even though they didn't use protection, Macy wasn't that worried because she loved Nick and she'd do anything for him.

Deep in central Pennsylvania were vast fields of farm land. Rows of crops could be seen neatly running into the horizon. Her Auntie Wanda's farm was the biggest one within a one mile radius, with its bright red façade and peculiar statues that she was known to collect and put on her front porch. Macy tried to be a happy camper especially since everyone was so accommodating but she still couldn't believe her mom would dump her in a place like this.

The eighty-seven year old lady walked out to greet them. Even though she was still strong enough to walk, her Auntie Wanda was hard of hearing so when Macy came to greet her, she called her Mischa instead of her real name. But Macy gave up correcting her because frankly, she didn't care. What really mattered to her was that she needed a way out of this unfortunate situation. When everyone was situated in the house, Jacob and Jade were growing restless because it was so hot and they were craving some ice cream. Macy was more than willing to accompany them to the town square which was suppose to be the most urban part of town. She hoped to call Nick from there since Macy wasn't having any luck with her phone because there seemed to be no service anywhere near the farm. There should be a pay phone somewhere in this town, she thought.

The town square consisted of a farmer's market, a school house, a laundry mat, a small library, the sheriff's office, and an ice cream parlor. It wasn't urban at all but Macy really wasn't expecting much. So she bought Jacob and Jade ice cream and they were enjoying their treat as they sat on a bench. Meanwhile, Macy was counting her coins to see if she had enough to use the pay phone, which she spotted from across the road.

"Stay right here you guys," Macy told her cousins. "I'll be back. I just need to make an important phone call."

But the moment she reached the phone some other guy beat her to it. So Macy impatiently waited for him to finish his call but judging from his conversation that he was having, it seemed that the young man was calling his girlfriend who he "really, really missed." Macy tried her best to control her impatience but the young man kept saying the same thing over and over again. It was really annoying. So she spoke really loudly and said, "Excuse me, mister, but I really need to make an important call so if you don't mind wrapping this up any time soon."

The young man turned around and gave her a look of complete contempt and said, "Hey, lady, you need to wait your turn—

But he didn't finish what he had to say because something about her made him stop telling her off.

Macy didn't like the look the young man was giving her and so she said, "I really need to speak to someone so if you please don't mind ending your call."

"Y-yeah, sure. Go ahead," he said in a completely different tone. He was still staring curiously at her.

"Oh, okay. Thanks," Macy said quite shocked because now she felt bad because she really didn't mean to be rude about it. _He seemed like a decent guy._

So she put her coins into the pay phone and dialed Nick's number.

_Come on pick up, Nick._

"Hello?" said the voice she wanted to hear in the past 5 hours. She could tell he sounded a bit apprehensive because he didn't recognize the number.

"Nick, it's me – Mace," she said.

"MACY!" he said in his normal at-ease voice. "I've been trying to call you! Why is your phone off?"

"Well, you won't believe where I am," Macy started to say so she told Nick how her mom sent her off with her aunt to Martinsburg. She described everything such as the isolation from anything modern in this town, the endless amount of cows, and the farm land that seemed to stretch on forever.

"Wow. You're mom really is serious about punishing you," Nick said. "I'm really sorry."

"No, Nick, it's not your fault," Macy assured him and then she added. "It's just that she wants me to be this perfect daughter but she needs to know that I need to make some mistakes in order to live my life…er…wait, I didn't mean to say it in that way. You're not a mistake, Nick…It's just—

"No, I understand what you're saying," Nick assured her. He really didn't take any offense at what she had to say. "I just really miss you."

"Me, too," Macy said and then she blushed and said. "I keep thinking about last night. I really wish I could be with you again."

Nick could feel himself blushing but he had to know, "Oh…um…Macy about last night, was it…um…safe for me to…uh…_do that_."

"Huh?" Macy asked him confused.

So Nick lowered his voice because he didn't want anyone else to hear what he had to say, "I mean, when we had sex…I just want to know if it was…uh…safe in your cycle."

When Joe mentioned something about a cycle, Nick took it upon himself to go online and research what he was talking about and that morning Nick Lucas became enlightened about the woman's menstrual cycle—a topic he never would have thought he would ever have to look up.

Macy could feel her cheeks reddening and because she could see the young man still standing nearby she whispered back, "Yeah, it was safe. But I didn't know you knew about that kind of stuff, though."

"Yeah…I just needed to make sure," Nick said quietly. "I don't want to get you into trouble."

Macy giggled because it was just beyond cute how worried Nick was about her well-being.

"Nick, you can never get me into trouble because everything between us feels so right," she assured him. _God, she really wished she could kiss him right now._

"That's true. But imagine us having a kid?" Nick asked her. "As much as I love you, Mace, that's something I don't want to rush into having right now. So next time, we shouldn't have sex if we don't have...you know... protection."

"Yeah, you're right. If I did have a baby, my mom will probably kill me first. But rest assure, we'll have the cutest kid in the world," Macy piped in. "I mean with my genes, our kid is bound to be super adorable."

"Your genes? You mean, my genes. I'm the most adorable guy out there, Mace," Nick teased. _God, he missed Macy so much._

"Whatever, Nick," she said playfully.

"Anyway, I have to go. Big Man is calling me for sound check," Nick said regretfully because he wanted to continue talking to her.

"Oh, okay," Macy said sadly because she really wanted to keep him on the phone. His voice alone made her feel so much better in this miserable town. "I'll try to call you again soon."

"I'll be looking forward to it," Nick said and then teased. "Say hello to the cows for me."

"HAHA. Very funny, Nick," Macy said sarcastically.

"I'm just kidding," Nick said as he stifled his laughter. "I love you, Macy."

"I love you, too."

Macy held onto the phone receiver longer than was necessary because she wanted to keep the connection she had with Nick just now. But she realized that the young man was patiently waiting near her.

"Thanks again," Macy said graciously when she quickly turned around to thank the young man, who was still giving her a peculiar look.

She was about to head back and fetch her cousins when the guy called out to her and said, "You're not who I think you are, are you?"

"HUH?" Macy asked him in a surprised yet confused tone. She turned around to face him now.

"Are you Macy Misa, the Menace of Martinsburg?" he boldly asked.

Macy looked at him now very curiously. _No one has ever called her that in the longest time._

"What?" she asked him.

"You don't remember me?" the young man asked. He knew he was right about her identity judging by the expression on her face.

She stared at him and looked at his appearance. He was about her age and he was tall and slender and he had short dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Now that she got a good look at him, Macy couldn't help but blush quite a bit because he was definitely handsome. She noticed that he was still looking at her intently but his face didn't ring a bell. But then he smiled and she remembered that distinct close lip smile. It was his signature impish smile that she now recalled would always get on her nerves when she was a child because he always looked like he was either hiding a secret or making a joke every time he smiled at her.

Now it was her turn to smile broadly at him and she exclaimed, "Ju-ju! Is that you?"

"WOW. No one has ever called me that since…well, since you left," the boy said happily.

"OH MY GOSH! JU-JU!-I mean-Julian! I never thought I would ever run into you again!" Macy said excitedly.

"Me too! I thought you disappeared from the face of the earth ever since you left Martinsburg," Julian replied.

"Sorry I haven't kept in touch but it's really good to see you!" Macy said as she gave him a big hug.

"Likewise," he said as he embraced her. "I missed you so much. Are you staying for a couple of days?"

"Actually, my mom sent me here for the whole summer," Macy answered as she let go of him.

"Really?" Julian said quite surprised but he had trouble trying to contain his excitement because this was truly a rare occasion- to be reunited with his childhood best friend.

"Yeah, how about you? You still live in Martinsburg?"

"Well, my family still does. I'm also here just for the summer but I actually have an apartment in upstate New York since I go to Cornell," he said. "I'm studying to become a lawyer."

"Wow! A lawyer! That's great!" Macy exclaimed. She still couldn't believe she was standing in front of her Ju-ju.

"So are we expecting you to wreck havoc in this quiet town of Martinsburg, now that Macy Misa the Menace is back?" Julian teased her.

Macy laughed and replied, "Only if her partner in crime is up for it. What do you say, Ju-ju?"

"I think we can stir up a little drama in this quiet town," Julian joked but then he gave Macy another big hug and said. "God, it feels so good to be reunited."

_Hm…maybe this summer won't be so bad after all._

_

* * *

_**Closing Remarks:**

I know it's been awhile. So not much is really happening in this chapter. Well, it's the beginning anyway so it's more or less a set up of what I have planned for the future. So Macy and Nick still seem to be strong as their journey apart begins but how long will it last as time goes by when they don't see each other for weeks on end? And what about Julian? He really seemed to have missed Macy but do you think his feelings for her are just platonic or something more? The only hint I'm going to give about his character is don't get too attached to him. And because I'm a visual type of person, if this story was a movie, I would cast Logan Lerman to play the role of Julian.

Anyway, this story will be divided into 2 parts. The first part will contain a lot of drama. But Part 2 won't be that dramatic. At least, for now I don' t think it will.

So read and REVIEW! I'll try to have chapter 3 up asap. But please be patient with me once again!

-Penelope36


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: And after a long wait, here is the next installment of this story. Sorry for the delay! Besides school work, I was having severe writer's block :-( But REVIEW, please!

* * *

**Chapter 3 Getting to Know You, Getting to Know All About You**

"You guys were awesome, Detroit!" yelled Kevin to the crowd of screaming fans as their concert came to an end. "We hope to come back soon! Love you guys!"

Kevin, Nick, and Joe, along with their back-up dancers gathered around the center of the stage to wave good-bye to their wonderful fans.

"That was a great show, boys!" their manager/dad greeted them as they made their way backstage. "The press wants to snap some pictures of you with people from the tour. We want to show them that we're one big happy tour family."

"Okay, sure thing dad. Just give us a second," Kevin said quickly as he chucked off his leather jacket.

The three boys quickly changed out of their sweaty clothes.

"So this is kind of awkward for you, isn't it, Nick?" Joe asked him while they were in their dressing room.

But Nick played it off as if he didn't understand what his brother was saying.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said quickly as he buttoned up his clean blue flannel shirt with studded sleeves.

"You didn't notice that Gabby's here, too?" Joe asked him while putting on a fresh pair of jeans.

Nick pursed his lips because he was fully aware that a particular back-up dancer was with them on tour. Gabriella Ramos wasn't exactly shy about making her presence known especially after their brief _fling_ that they had two years ago.

"What about her? We're just friends now," Nick answered curtly.

"Yeah, but I don't think she knows that," Kevin butted in after eavesdropping the whole time. "Does Macy know about her?"

"There's nothing to tell Macy," Nick said a bit irritated that his brothers were meddling in his love life.

"But I mean you did tell her that you're on tour with her, right?" Joe pestered on.

"_How could've I told Macy I was on tour with her if I just found out today that she was one of our back-up dancers?"_ Nick said frustratingly. Once again Joe's lack of sensibility never ceased to amaze him.

"Okay, chill bro," Joe said. "No need to be so grouchy."

Nick wanted to say one of his clever retorts but Big Man stepped in just in time and told them that they only had two minutes till they needed to meet with the press. So they quickly finished changing without any more talk about Nick's former flame, much to the youngest band member's delight.

It took about twenty minutes to take promotional pictures with the band and the dancers. However, Nick intentionally placed himself as far away from Gabby as possible. He didn't want anyone to strategically crop out a picture to make it seem like they were the only two there. In this industry, rumors traveled fast and tabloids were always quick to scoop up any juicy piece of gossip, especially if it involved former flames. The boys were relieved when the photo session was over but the three of them weren't even given a breather because they were pushed right into their first tour press conference after all that.

When they took their seats at the press room, the three boys were met again with blinding lights from cameras that kept clicking away from various media sources. It wasn't long before they settled in their seats that the press conference began. The most basic questions were asked first like _how does it feel like to be on tour again? How has your music changed since you first started? _But what the celebrity bloggers and teen magazine representatives wanted to know most about was _their love life_.

"So, Kevin, rumor has it your song 'Scandinavia' is dedicated to a girl named Anya? Is she your girlfriend?" asked a bold girl with red hair and a sweet smile that accentuated the fan-girl-obsession glint in her eyes. Her name was Molly better known as the Celebrity Brat, cousin to Jessika who was known as the Movie Brat. Together, the two 'Brats' were the ultimate news source for tween and teen girls alike. And as much as the boys tried to deny any of the rumors, if truth be told, most of their questions were either to the point or almost accurate. But of course, none of the boys would ever admit to that. They made it their priority to keep their public and private life completely separate.

Kevin laughed and said as diplomatically as possible, "Scandinavia is a beautiful country full of beautiful people. The song is simply an ode to the beauty of that country."

"But who is this Anya girl? Fans want to know if she was the inspiration for that song," the Celebrity Brat continued. She wasn't going to back down.

"She's just a close friend," Kevin finally said. There was no way he was going to reveal his true relationship with Anya to the public. "She helped me write that song since she's originally from there. So if anything, the song was co-written by her and the band. Are there any more questions?"

"YES! I have one for Joe," the Celebrity Brat said quickly before anyone else had a chance to speak. "Rumor has it that there is a romantic relationship going on between you and your personal fashion stylist Stella Malone. Is this true?"

Taking a cue from his older brother, Joe cleared his throat and diplomatically proclaimed, "I've known Stella since I was really little. She's my best friend and we're really close. So I can understand why there's a misconception about us dating but we're purely just friends."

"But what about this picture that TMZ posted of you two holding hands. How do you explain this?"

_Crap. _Joe didn't expect there to be pictures that could unravel the truth of their relationship. Joe hesitated for a bit before he regained composure and said, "Like I said before Stella and I are just friends. Friends can hold hands with each other. It's no big deal. I've been holding her hand since we were like five-years-old so that's nothing new in our relationship –er- I mean friendship."

"So are you saying that you and Stella—

"NEXT QUESTION PLEASE!" Joe said abruptly because he hated being grilled about his personal life. But if there was one person, who couldn't stand talking about his personal life more than him, it would be his younger brother, Nick. He was sitting quietly in his seat but he could feel his palms sweating and his heart beating rapidly. Nick kept drinking the glass of water that was placed in front of him. _He wondered if he would also fall under the intense interrogation of the Celebrity Brat. _

"Nick, I have one for you!" Molly, the Celebrity Brat, said eagerly. _She really wasn't backing down._ She wanted answers and the look of fan-girl insanity only intensified in her eyes.

_CRAP. _Nick hoped that Macy wouldn't be brought into this. No one really knew her in the media world unless they visited her website which was dedicated to everything JONAS. But as for pictures and songs, no one could link her to him at all. And he trusted that no one at his school would talk to the press about his girlfriend. After all, he and Macy kept their relationship very low key so that only those people in school who knew them well, would know that Nick Lucas was in fact dating Macy Misa AGAIN after the whole drama with Penny last year.

"Yes…?" Nick said weakly.

"How does it feel like being on tour with your ex-girlfriend, Gabriella Ramos?" the Celebrity Brat asked.

Nick gulped because he wasn't expecting that question. He could hear Joe snickering next to him. He was obviously delighted that Nick was getting grilled just like him and Kevin.

"Gabriella isn't my ex-girlfriend," Nick answered honestly. Because that was partly true because he and Gabby had a _very short _fling that didn't amount to anything. There really wasn't any substance to it at all. He was only fifteen at that time and she was sixteen. If anything, what they had was just purely childish infatuation, especially on his part.

"But sources said that you two got close during your last tour. According to this website I found online from…let me see…," the Celebrity Brat said as she took out a piece of paper from the pile she was holding. _She clearly came prepared. _"Ah, here it is! This website from the self-proclaimed JONAS #1 Super-Fan, stated in an entry dated two years ago that you and Gabby went out on numerous dates during your spare time."

Nick had an urge to laugh out loud because it was really ironic that the Celebrity Brat would use a source from the JONAS #1 Super-Fan. If Molly knew that the webmaster for that site was his real girlfriend, she would have a lot more material to work with since she would be hitting the truth right on the spot. But that wasn't the case and so Nick breathed out a sigh of relief and sat up straight in his chair.

"Everyone on tour becomes really close. We're like a family here," Nick said. "Gabby is just another valuable member of the JONAS family."

"But you're not denying that there was something going on between you two?"

Nick hated to lie but if he wanted to separate his public life from his private life then he needed to stick to denying everything being said.

"Gabriella and I are not seeing each other now," Nick said in a twist because that was true. He wasn't dating Gabriella now _per se_.

"You say 'now' but that doesn't mean before you didn't—

"Please, are there any more questions RELEVANT TO THE TOUR?" Kevin interrupted. He needed to save his brother because he could tell that his younger brother was 'drowning' in the sea of questions that the Celebrity Brat was hurling at him. Nick looked over at Kevin and gave him a weak smile. _His brothers were useful after all. _

And so the three Lucas boys saw to it that they chose questions from any other media outlet source that focused more on their music than their personal lives.

While Nick was busy tackling the media, Macy found herself standing in her Aunt's field tending to the crops. Now that they were all settled in, her Aunt Wanda needed a lot of help getting her farm back to shape. There were vegetables and berries that needed to be picked and livestock that needed tending to. Along with that, the once bright red barn she had was now a dingy shade of brown and needed a good repainting job. The list of things that had to be done during the summer grew longer and longer with each passing day. Her cousins, Jacob and Jade, were picking up the eggs from the chicken coop while Macy finished picking up all the ripe tomatoes into a basket. She was about to head inside when she heard her name being called.

"MACY!" yelled a familiar voice.

She turned around so fast the basket of tomatoes that she was holding almost spilled.

"JULIAN!" she greeted him happily.

"Hey, I want to take you somewhere," he announced with his signature impish smile. "You think you can escape for a bit?"

Macy bit her lip because she knew she should stay and help out but in reality, what she wanted to do more than anything, was to do something fun and relaxing because sorting out rotten tomatoes from good ones was not only long and tedious but it was strenuous work. Even though she was a seasoned athlete, Macy felt like her back could break at any moment from bending over so much.

"Um, I don't think I should leave," she replied sadly. "But-um-maybe I can ask my aunt and see if it's okay…"

"Don't worry about it," Julian assured her. "I'll go talk to her. I was always her favorite anyway!"

"FAVORITE! As if!" Macy yelled back but she was secretly relieved that he offered to ask in her place because she didn't want to seem like she wasn't enjoying her time there, even if that was the truth. "But fine. You can go ask her."

While Julian went into her aunt's house, she waited outside for him to return but it was almost fifteen minutes and he still didn't come back so she went over to the house and peeked into the kitchen window and saw Julian not only talking to his two aunts, but he was sitting with them and having brunch! And the three of them were laughing quite loudly at something he just said.

"You were always such a comedian!" she heard her Aunt Jane say to him as she placed more bacon on his plate. "And I heard that you are quite a student. I just spoke to your mom yesterday and she told me that you made it into the Dean's list with honors. Is that right?"

"My mom loves to talk doesn't she," Julian replied while shaking his head modestly because he really did not like to brag. "I just do my best and I'm just happy it's paying off."

"Such a modest boy!" her Auntie Jane exclaimed as she turned to look at her Aunt Wanda who was smiling broadly at him exposing her missing teeth. "And yes, your mom is quite a chatter-box that's why I also know about Charlene. I hear it's getting pretty serious between you two."

"Oh, Charlie? Well…um…yeah, we've been together for awhile but I'm still young so you never know..."

Macy noticed that he was fidgeting with his napkin. It was something he would do when he wasn't comfortable with something. That was one thing she did remember about Julian. But she didn't think much about his peculiar behavior. She headed inside and cleared her throat very loudly to get their attention.

"AHEM!"

"Oh, hey Macy!" Julian said as he quickly got up from his seat. "I was just catching up with your aunts. It's always a pleasure to talk with them."

"Oh, yes, you and Macy haven't seen each other since you were little! You guys have a lot of catching up to do!" her aunt exclaimed.

"I would love that but I really don't want to take her away if she has chores to do," Julian said innocently.

"Don't be silly!" her aunt exclaimed. "You guys go have fun and catch up! I remember back in the day when you guys would be inseparable. So go ahead. The chores can wait."

"Thanks, auntie," Macy smiled brightly at her and waved good-bye to her Aunt Wanda.

And so the two of them headed out and they were hiking quite a bit. Macy wasn't paying attention until they hit a wooded area.

"Julian, where are you taking me?" Macy asked him worriedly because this part of town was unknown to her.

"You'll see," he replied and continued on. "Trust me, Macy."

"_Okaaay,_" she replied a bit uneasily.

However, Macy put her trust in him and followed him along the way. It was only after a few steps further that she realized that there was a clearing ahead and there was a pristine lake that was now visible at the end of their path.

"What is this place?" Macy finally asked him when he finally stopped.

"It's my secret get-a-way spot," he simply replied. "Every time I want to escape from the farm I'd come here and relax and have fun. I even tied a rope on that tree so that you can swing into the lake. And only a handful of my closest friends know about this place. It's sort of a secret spot, if you know what I mean. So count yourself as an exclusive insider."

Macy grinned at him because she was happy that he still considered her to be one of his closest friends. It was really a serene place to just meditate and take in life. The water was glistening with the sunlight that was hitting it. She smiled at Julian and said, "Wow. It's really beautiful here. Thanks for taking me here."

"No problem. I knew you'd like it," he replied as he flashed her his signature smile.

"So what are we waiting for? Let's jump in!" Macy finally exclaimed. It was a hot sweltering summer day and the lake looked very inviting. Therefore, without any hesitation Macy chucked off her shirt leaving her in a tank top and gym shorts. Climbing onto the rope, she positioned herself in one of the tree stumps near by. "Let's make this a competition. Whoever can land the farthest in the water makes the other person buy them ice cream. Deal?"

"Okay, deal!" Julian agreed. Even though Macy used to beat him in everything when they were younger, he was now a good seven inches taller than her and he worked out quite a bit so he felt good about this bet.

"Well, here I go! WHEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Macy yelled as she swung from the tree into the lake making a loud splash. "Let's see if you can beat that!"

Julian scoffed. _This was going to be easy. _He removed his shirt so that the only thing he wore was his khaki shorts. When Macy saw him, she instinctively turned away for a bit because his body reminded her of Nick. _They both were really fit. _But Macy had to shake off the comparison. _Julian is like a brother to me,_ she said to herself. _I can't look at him in that way!_

"Get ready to face defeat, Macy!" Julian yelled at her and so he copied her but he leaned back even further to give him good momentum when he finally swung out. And Macy watched him as he flew into the air…_and landed a good five feet away from her_.

_CRAP. _She lost.

"One order of Rocky Road ice cream, please!" Julian shouted to remind her of his winning.

"Fine, fine, fine," Macy said grumpily because she hated to lose. "But it's really unfair!"

"How is that unfair?" Julian retorted as he swam over to her. "I jumped off the same way you did!"

"Yeah but it doesn't help that you're so much taller than me. So of course you'd win," Macy said scornfully. _She can be a sore loser at times._

"_Whaaaat?_ You're blaming my height for winning? Do you want me to shrink or something? Not everyone can be short like you," Julian teased her. Even when they were still kids, Macy was shorter than him but not by that much. However, what she lacked in height she made up for it in her impeccable speed.

"YOU TAKE THAT BACK, JU-JU! I'M NOT THAT SHORT!" Macy yelled at him.

"_Okaaay. _Whatever you say, lil' one," Julian said in a voice that clearly showed that he wasn't going to change his opinion of her.

But Macy wasn't backing down and caught him in a headlock and she didn't let go until he apologized. Nevertheless, after all that, the two of them enjoyed a beautiful summer afternoon playing in the lake. Hours must have passed until they finally got out. Their fingers were pruny like raisins and their lips were a light shade of blue.

"That was fun," Julian proclaimed as he helped Macy out of the lake but a blush immediately spread across his cheeks when he noticed that her black bra was now clearly visible underneath her white tank top.

"Yeah, like the good ol' times!" Macy replied happily. "But look at us! We're soaking wet. We can't go back looking like this. We should dry up for a bit."

For that reason, the two of them found a nice patch of grass where the trees didn't block out the sun. Macy laid down as she soaked up the sun. Julian sat next to her. They laid silently next to each other for a while.

"So how's Charlie?" Macy finally asked him inquisitively.

"Oh, you know about her?"

"I sorta overheard you talking with my aunts and I'm guessing you were talking with her on the phone that day…"Macy admitted.

"You're such a nosy person, Macy! But that's so like you," Julian exclaimed but he wasn't mad at all.

"Well, I couldn't help overhearing your conversation with her. So how long have you been together?"

"For about a year and a half," he answered quickly.

"Wow. That's a long time! You two must be really serious."

"I guess so, but I mean that could all change. Love can be pretty unpredictable...so who knows what could happen to us," Julian added. For some reason, Macy was starting to get a weird vibe around him. It was as if he was sort of apologizing for something.

"Well, I wish you two the best of luck. She's a really lucky girl to have you," Macy complimented him.

"Thanks," Julian answered. "And what about you. What's his name again? Nick, is it?'

"Look who's the nosy one now!" Macy scoffed.

"Well, can you blame me? I mean I was very curious to know what kind of phone call you desperately needed to make that you just had to cut mine off so abruptly."

Macy gave him a smirk because she was a bit rude to him that time. Letting out a loud sigh, she finally said, "I guess that makes sense. But, yeah, his name is Nick. And it'll be a year in July."

"So you guys are serious?"

"Yup," Macy said happily. She was smiling to herself as she thought about her boyfriend.

"So tell me, what type of guy is he? I mean he has to be someone extra special to win your heart," Julian asked her as casual as possible to mask his great intrigue.

She let out a loud sigh and she was about to say everything she loved about Nick but she caught herself before she said too much. She and Nick liked to keep their relationship a secret especially towards _outsiders. _But technically Julian wasn't an outsider, yet Macy still felt guarded so she played off his _true _identity and said, "Oh, he's just an ordinary guy from school. But he makes me feel special."

"Is he as spontaneous and spunky like you?"

Macy couldn't help but burst out in laughter because Nick was far from being called 'spontaneous and spunky'.

"No. He's nothing like me. In fact he's the opposite. But we mesh so well together," she said admiringly. "We balance each other out. And I just love being with him."

"Oh, I see," Julian said quietly.

Macy could sense that something was bothering him.

"Is something wrong?"

"N-no. Nothing," he quickly answered.

And for the next few days, Nick's name wasn't brought up which was fine because Macy didn't really feel like confiding with Julian about her love life and he most likely felt the same way since there was no mention of Charlie ever since that day at the lake. And so every chance she could get, Macy hung out with her childhood best friend. It was really nice to spend time with him because Julian was the only one in Martinsburg that knew anything about life outside of the farm. And as much as she appreciated her family and aunt, Macy really did not belong in a rural town where there was practically nothing to do!

However, during her free time when she wasn't with Julian, Macy would head down to the town's square and visit the library. The only internet dial-up connection was in the library's study lounge so when she couldn't get a hold of Nick over the phone, she usually went online to check up on him and get news about the JONAS tour. She was smiling to herself as she looked at pictures of him and his brothers performing in L.A. There were over forty shots from that concert alone. _He looked very happy to be in his element. _Macy suddenly felt sad because she desperately wanted to go on tour with him because one of the things she loved about Nick was how involved he got when he was playing his music. Just watching him perform, Macy could tell how truly passionate he was about his art. It was _really mesmerizing. _She found herself staring at one shot that showed Nick wearing a grey wife-beater and rocking out on his guitar. He was wearing his aviators and he was biting his bottom lip. _He looked so hot. She wanted to be with him so badly_. The picture also showed his toned arms and muscles, which were now distracting her because Macy began to remember all the times Nick held her close to his bare body. She must have been so lost in thought that she nearly fell off her chair when someone suddenly approached her from behind.

"So when you said your boyfriend Nick was an ordinary guy, you couldn't possibly be talking about Nick Lucas from JONAS, were you?"

"JULIAN! How on earth did you find me here!" Macy cried out in shock, causing the librarian to give her one nasty glare.

"Your aunt told me that you'd be here," he replied as he pulled up a chair next to her. "So am I right? Is Nick Lucas and your Nick, one and the same person?"

"Uh…" Macy hesitated and she closed out the picture she was just looking at but the window before that had another picture of him. She closed that one out as well but then another picture of Nick opened up. _It was useless to deny it now._ "Yeah you got me. My boyfriend's Nick Lucas."

"Wow... _How can I compete with that?" _Julian said in a quiet voice.

"What'd you say?" Macy asked him because he spoke so low, she didn't here his last response.

"Er…what I said was…um…I can't believe you're dating a celebrity…"

"Well, Nick is a celebrity but he's so down to earth," Macy said defensively. "He doesn't let the fame get to him. That's another reason why I love him so much. He's just so genuine and real, you know what I mean?"

"But this is Nick Lucas we are talking about! World-famous, rock-star Nick Lucas! It must be tough being so far away from your boyfriend," Julian pointed out. "I mean according to Charlie, who's a big fan of his, he's quote unquote _hot stuff_."

"Yeah, I guess you can say that…" Macy sighed dreamily because Nick really was good-looking, which was why she was still a bit uncomfortable knowing that she wasn't there with him at every waking moment to block the advances of many _admirers. _

"If you don't mind me asking why didn't you go on tour with him?"

Macy wasn't comfortable telling Julian that the real reason why she and Nick were separated was because her mom found out just how intimate her relationship with Nick really was. It was too personal for her to confide in him about that. Therefore, she made up an excuse.

"I wanted to go with him but my mom wanted me to spend some time with my aunt. Her place is in pretty bad shape so she needs a lot of help."

"That's nice to spend the summer with your family instead of your boyfriend," Julian agreed. He wanted to say something else but at that moment, the bell from the parish church rang signifying that it was almost six o'clock.

"Oh crap! It's already six?" Macy said as she gathered her stuff. "I need to head back soon and help set up for dinner. You should stop by if you're hungry."

"No, thanks. I already ate. I'm going to just hang out here for awhile," Julian replied. "I need to check my email and stuff. But maybe I'll stop by later on tonight if I have nothing else to do."

"Oh okay, great! Well, then see you!" she called back to him as she ran out of the library.

"HEY WAIT!" Julian yelled when he spotted her cell-phone which dropped on the floor.

"Mister, you need to keep your voice down," scolded the elderly librarian who wasn't afraid to give him a deathly stare after his sudden outburst. "This is the library!"

"I'm sorry! It's just that my friend forgot her phone," Julian said and he was about to go out and chase after her when he noticed the wallpaper of her home screen on her phone. It was a picture of Macy and Nick kissing. He clenched his fist when he saw this and in a different tone he said, "Never mind. I'll just give it back to her tomorrow. Sorry for the disturbance."

"You should be," the librarian said grumpily.

Across the country in the west coast, Nick, Kevin, and Joe were enjoying a day off from performing.

"You should consider going out tonight," Joe said while he was putting on some cologne. "I mean this is L.A. baby!"

"No, I really don't feel like it," Nick said gloomily as he stared at his phone anticipatingly. _Why wasn't Macy calling him?_

"So what are you going to do all night? Just sit there and wait for Macy to call?" Joe retorted.

"Yeah," Nick answered matter-of-factly.

"Laaaame," Joe said. "Why don't you try calling her?"

"Because she doesn't get service over there so she usually calls," Nick pointed out.

"Doesn't hurt to try," Joe answered.

And because Nick really wanted to hear Macy's voice even if his call went straight to voice mail, he picked up his phone and dialed her number.

_Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring._

Nick looked at Joe and gave him a look that clearly said _I-told-you-so._ And he was about to hang up when suddenly someone picked up.

"MACY!" Nick exclaimed.

"I'm sorry this isn't her," said a male voice.

_A guy? What was a guy doing answering her phone?_

But then he reasoned out and said, "Oh I'm sorry. I must have dialed the wrong number. I thought you were my girlfriend—

"No, this is the right number. Macy just went home for a bit but I'll see her later on tonight. I'll let her know that you called."

"Uh, okay thanks," Nick said a bit uneasily. _Who was this kid?_

"No problem. Bye."

"Wait! Who is this?" Nick said quickly before he hung up.

"This is her friend from Martinsburg. We go way back in the day. But don't worry. I'll take care of her."

"What? Macy never mentioned anything about having a friend—HELLO? Hello?"

But instead of hearing a reply, he heard the dial tone instead. _This was not good. _Who the hell was he?

"Are you okay? You look troubled," Joe pointed out the obvious.

"Someone picked up but it definitely wasn't Macy," Nick said slowly as he stared at his phone again. He dialed her number again but it went straight to voice mail.

"Are you sure you dialed her number?"

"Of course I dialed her number! I know it by heart! I can say her phone number backwards and forward in my sleep if I had to," Nick retorted. "Besides, the guy said he knew Macy and that they were friends from back in the day."

"Back in the day? Was he like an adult?"

"No. I'm pretty sure he's our age. But I don't know, Joe, I was getting a bad vibe from him."

"There you go again, Nick," Joe lamented. "You're always being paranoid! You need to loosen up."

"I'm not being paranoid," Nick retorted angrily. "He said he was going to take care of her. It was like he trying to rub it in my face that he's there with her and I'm like a thousand miles away, nowhere near her at all."

"Okay. He could have meant that or he could have meant I'm going to be a good friend and make sure she's fine," Joe answered. "Maybe he was trying to assure you, the worried-boyfriend, that Macy will be fine away from you."

Nick scratched his head irritatingly because even if Joe was right, he didn't like the fact that Macy would be around another guy _all summer_.

"I don't know, Joe. I think I should try and call her again. Maybe I should question her—

"Nick, don't. The last thing you want Macy to think is that you can't trust her," Joe pointed out.

"But—

"Look, Macy will tell you about him if there was something worth telling. You shouldn't feel threatened by this random dude that answered her phone. She loves you Nick and all your flaws."

"I know that-wait- all my flaws?" Nick cried out offended because he always strived to be perfect.

"Yeah, all your flaws. Because right now you're acting pretty possessive," Joe retorted. "Macy can have guy-friends just in the same way that you can have girl-friends."

Joe was right. _Why worry when there shouldn't be any reason to…right?_ He wanted to call her again but he didn't want to seem _possessive, _as Joe put it. Besides, he remembered that conversation they had when they spent their last night together. He assured Macy that there wasn't any reason for her to worry about him cheating because he loved her with all his heart and there was no way he could ever do that to her. There shouldn't be any double standards after all. Thus, he knew that he needed to trust Macy as well because there was no way she could ever cheat on him. _She loved him so much._ And so Nick put his phone down. _He trusted Macy. He really did._

"Come on, Nick," Joe said. "Let's go out tonight. We're just going to have a dinner out with everyone and maybe go bowling or go to a club or something."

"I don't do clubs," Nick said adamantly.

"Well, you don't need to tag along there if you don't want to," Joe said. "You just need to get out and have fun. Get some fresh air. Believe me, you need it."

Nick looked at Joe and sighed, "Fine. I'll go out."

Meanwhile, back in Martinsburg, Macy was turning her room inside out looking for her cell phone. _Where could it be?_ She flipped her mattress over and looked underneath her bed for the fifteenth time but it was nowhere to be found. Her aunt woke up in the middle of the night to find out what all the racket was about but Macy told her everything was fine and that she was just looking for her phone. Reluctantly she had to stop what she was doing so that she won't cause any more disturbances in the middle of the night.

The next day Macy was tired, cranky, and life-less. She didn't get a wink of sleep last night because she was still upset that she lost her phone. That was her only form of communication she had with Nick. Because usually at night, Macy would go up to the roof of her aunt's home and call him from up there. It was the only spot, that Macy found after careful searching that had a decent phone signal for her to call Nick without having to trek all the way down to the town square to use the pay phone. It upset her to no extent that she missed one night of hearing _his voice. _

She was outside sweeping the front porch, not really paying attention to what she was doing. That was why most of the deck was dusty except for the one spot that Macy kept sweeping over and over again.

"What's with that sad look?"

"Hey, Julian," Macy said gloomily.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked her worriedly because it alarmed him that she wasn't her usual care-free and perky self.

"I lost my phone and I didn't get to speak to Nick last night…he might think I forgot about him," Macy said sorrowfully but then she added with much gusto when a revelation came to her. "Oh my goodness! I completely forgot! I could email him from the library!"

She quickly put the broom down and asked, "Can you tell my aunts that I'll be back soon? I just need to take care of something!"

"Okay, but I have a present for you!" he called out after Macy, who was already half-way down the dirt road.

"Huh?" she quickly turned around to face him.

"Is this what you were looking for?' Julian asked her as he dangled her phone in his hand.

"MY PHONE! Where on earth did you find it?" Macy yelled happily as she ran up to him.

"You dropped it yesterday when you left the library. I found it long before you left," Julian lied. "I didn't know you needed it that much that's why I waited for today before I gave it back to you."

"Oh that's fine," Macy said merrily. "But thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

She gave him a big hug to show him her appreciation.

"No problem," Julian replied sincerely as he rest his head on top of hers. _This was a nice hug._

"Anyway, I was wondering if I got any calls last night? I know Martinsburg has this weird habit of having signal when you least expect it."

"A phone call? Um…n-no. No, you had no phone calls last night," Julian said hesitatingly. He didn't know why he just lied. But it was too late to take it back now because he knew it would look very shady on his part.

"Okay," Macy said a bit disappointedly. "Anyway, thanks again. I think I'm going to try and give Nick a call right now."

She was about to go inside when Julian suddenly called out, "Macy?"

"What is it?"

"That's a nice wallpaper you have on your phone. You and your boyfriend are such a cute couple," he complimented her somewhat forcefully.

"Awe, thanks Ju-Ju," Macy said with a big smile on her face . She quickly waved good-bye before bolting upstairs to make a much-needed phone call to Nick.

When she was out of earshot, Julian pursed his lips while he thought hard about something.

"A cute couple indeed," he said to himself. "Let's see how long they'll last…"

* * *

**Closing Remarks:**

So once again, this chapter is a build up of the drama that is going to go down soon. What is Julian thinking about? And is Joe right that Nick is over-reacting? And what about Gabby? We don't know too much about her in this chapter but what's her role in all of this? And since I like putting a face to a character, if I had to cast someone as Gabriella Ramos, it would be that back-up dancer from Camp Rock 2 that Nick was briefly linked to. I believe her name was Courtney. (I forgot her last name.) Anyway, stay tuned as drama begins to unfold to test Nick and Macy's love during their time apart. I know it's been awhile since I updated this story so I'm TRULY SORRY about that. I'll try to be better at having my updates come as soon as possible. I hope to tie in this story by the time my winter break ends. Once again thank you for patiently waiting. And PLEASE REVIEW! That will be great!

Sorry once again for the long wait! REVIEW!

-Penelope36


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 Kiss and Tell**

The cool air of Los Angeles blew across Nick Lucas' face. It was a refreshing night to just relax and have some fun with friends. Most of his band-mates and a handful of the dancers made it out to enjoy their last day in California before heading to the east coast leg of the JONAS tour. And while everyone was excitedly chatting about life and what-not, Nick was lost in his thoughts. _Who was that guy? _It was bugging him to no end. _And how well did he and Macy know each other? And why didn't Macy mention him before?_

And while everyone on tour was bonding over dinner, Nick kept checking his phone just in case Macy happened to call him but unfortunately, his phone remained silent throughout the whole night. After their meal, the whole gang went over to Pinz, the well-known local bowling alley. To raise the stakes, Joe and Kevin split into two teams. The losing team would treat the winners to dinner and so everyone got into a competitive spirit—well, everyone except Nick Lucas, who was still consumed with thoughts of that mysterious guy that answered Macy's phone.

In the beginning of the game, Joe had a good feeling that his team would win because he had Nick on his side and his younger brother was a pro at bowling. But tonight wasn't his night at all because instead of getting the strikes and spares he usually made, Nick got gutter ball after gutter ball leaving Joe's team well behind Kevin's. However, Nick didn't care. His already sour mood turned even more sour by the end of the night because he was getting frustrated that Macy still hadn't called him back. _What could she and that guy be doing so late at night?_

Even though it was getting past midnight, the night was still young in L.A. standard time. That's why many of them wanted to go out and visit one of L.A's finest clubs. Of course, Nick decided to sit this one out.

"You guys, go ahead," Nick said as they left Pinz bowling alley. "I'm going to call it a night. I'm pretty tired."

"Aww. No, Nick, you should at least come for a few minutes," Gabby pleaded with him.

"No, really, I should be heading back," Nick said.

"Suit yourself, bro," Joe said. "Tell Mom and Dad that we'll be back before 1:30."

"Okay. Have fun."

He turned around and headed the other way. It was good for him to be by himself because he had a lot of things running through his mind and the peace and quiet was perfect for him to sort out his thoughts. However, the solitude that he was about to enjoy was interrupted when a voice cried out, "Nick! Hey wait up!"

Turning around, he saw Gabby running towards him. _Crap. _The last thing he wanted was to be bothered. And it didn't help that he noticed that throughout the night, Gabby would try to chat him up. However, every attempt she made, he would end their conversation short by pretending that someone else was calling him. _He tried not to be rude. _But now it was a tricky situation because there was no excuses for him to avoid Gabby without being impolite. And Nick Lucas was always a gentleman even when his feelings were not in line with his actions. Thus, putting his annoyance aside, Nick flashed her his welcoming smile and said, "Hey, Gabby."

"WHEW! You walk so fast, Nick!" she exclaimed when she finally caught up with him. "I had to practically chase after you for two blocks."

"Sorry, I would've slowed down if I knew. But I thought you were going with the other guys to the club?" Nick said.

"I was but I was getting pretty tired, too," Gabby replied as she strategically gave a loud yawn at the end of her sentence. "Besides, I didn't want you to go back by yourself. I know you like to be a lone wolf but company is always good once in a while."

"Uh…okay, thanks," Nick said somewhat awkwardly. He wasn't sure if she was flirting with him because Gabby was a really friendly person but nevertheless, Nick was sure to keep his guard up just in case.

"Anyway, I noticed you've been kind of depressed tonight. Everything alright?"

Nick bit his lip because he really did not want to confide with her right now. He wasn't even sure if he had reason to worry at all. _He trusted Macy. _So clearing his throat, he came up with an excuse and said, "Oh, it's just that there's a lot of stuff that need to be taken cared of in the tour like song selections that need to be finalized and other stuff."

"Oh, I see," Gabby said a bit skeptically because she wasn't sure if Nick was actually telling the truth. But if there was one thing she did remember clearly about Nick Lucas it was that he was a very private person. If she wanted to stay on his good side, she knew better than to pry into his business so Gabby dismissed her suspicions and continued to say, "Well, I haven't seen you in two years! It's been so long! How have you been?"

"I've been fine. Just school and music," Nick said politely. _He forgot how much of a chatterbox Gabby could be._

"That's good to hear. Anyway, the last time that I saw you, you were my height but look at you now! You definitely had a major growth spurt since before," Gabby exclaimed as she checked him out. "You look really good, Nick."

"Er…thanks…uh…you look-um- great, too," he said a bit uneasily. He really hoped that she wouldn't take his compliment as an invitation to continue to flirt with him.

"I mean last time I saw you, you were this scrawny little teenager and now here you are, all fit and manly looking," Gabby said while giggling. "I know Joe is known to be the heart-throb but I don't think that's the case anymore."

"Oh, stop it, Gab," Nick said as he could feel a blush coming across his cheeks because she was right. Joe used to be the one getting most of the attention for his good-looks but ever since puberty hit him, Nick noticed that a lot of their fans were recently becoming quite daring by sending him explicit love letters. Some even sent him very revealing lingerie in which the ones that still had a tag on them, he would give to Macy. _However,_ _it was a bit overwhelming how hormonal teenage girls could be._

" What? I'm telling you the truth!" she retorted. "Girls must constantly be throwing themselves at you, now. I'm right, am I? Am I?"

Nick wanted to tell her to be quiet because he was getting uncomfortable talking about this when all of a sudden they were met with a blinding flash.

"Nick! Gabby!" yelled one of the paparazzi guys that were now crowding around them. "Are you guys dating again?"

"Hey, Nick over here!" yelled another one. "Does this mark the return of 'Nabby'?"

"_Crap,"_ Nick said under his breath. He forgot that the paparazzi infested the streets of L.A., especially late at night and the fact that he was seen alone with Gabby Ramos will only fuel even more gossip.

What started off with about two paparazzi guys soon turned into about a dozen more. It was getting hard for both of them to walk back to the hotel they were staying at. Thankfully, they were only a few blocks away and it was just luck that Big Man happened to step out at that moment to help Nick and Gabby escape from the paparazzi guys that were now hounding them.

"ENOUGH! NO MORE PICTURES PLEASE!" Big Man yelled to the crowd as he easily scooped them out of the mayhem. Nick and Gabby hurriedly entered the lobby unscathed. They could hear Big Man warning the guys, "And if you dare cross the premises don't think that we wouldn't hesitate to call the cops on you! Do you hear that? Now scram!"

Nick was happy that Big Man came out at just the right time. He knew he could always count on Big Man to help him escape a tight situation.

Meanwhile, back in Martinsburg, Macy had no luck getting in contact with Nick. It was depressing her to no end. _Where could he be?_ Maybe he was ignoring her calls because he was upset that she forgot to call him last night. Nevertheless, Macy needed her daily fix of Nick Lucas so she quickly finished her chores before she made her way to the library.

"Auntie Jane! I'm going now!"

"Are you sure you did all your chores?" her aunt called back to her from the kitchen.

"Yes!" Macy said as she quickly put on her converse sneakers.

"You watered the plants in the back?"

"Yes!"

"You swept the front and back porch?"

"Yes!"

"Did you remember to hang the linens on the clothesline?"

"Yes!" Macy said exasperatingly. "And I washed the dishes in the sink. And I made sure that Jacob and Jade collected all the eggs from the coop. Now can I go?"

"Okay, sweetie! But make sure you come back before dinner!"

"Okay bye!" Macy said as she ran out and headed down to the town-square. She needed to see Nick even if it meant that she had to look at pictures of him from the shiny screen of the library's computer. But when she reached her destination, she was disappointed to find that the only computer in the whole town was occupied by her good friend.

"Julian!" Macy greeted him as she tried her best to mask her annoyance because she really wanted to use the computer.

"Oh, hey Macy," he said as he got up from his chair. "I was just checking my email and I was just surfing through the web when I –um- stumbled into something that I think you'd find very interesting."

"Interesting?"

"Yeah…um…it's about your boyfriend…"

Macy pushed him out of the way to see for herself what exactly Julian was talking about. The screen was opened up to the Celebrity Brat's website. Macy could recognize her page from afar by the bright glittery pink background of her webpage. And although the background in itself was pretty distracting it was the picture at the center of the screen that was even more disturbing. The heading of the entry was entitled 'Rekindling a Romance?' Because there was a picture of Nick alright but he wasn't alone. Macy took a seat in front of the computer so that she could get a better look. He was with a very pretty brunette girl. _Macy recognized her. _Her name was Gabriella Ramos and the reason why Macy was so familiar with her identity was because back in the day when Macy wasn't seeing Nick and was still a rabid JONAS fan, she was the first one to break the news or in this case 'gossip' that there may be something going on between Nick and Ms. Ramos. Of course, like all tabloid media sources, her speculations were purely based on pictures that paparazzi took of them together in numerous occasions. Of course, none of them ever came forward about their relationship, _if there even was one._ And Nick never mentioned ever dating her to Macy so as much as the pictures on the Celebrity Brat's website could prove otherwise, Macy knew that there wasn't anything going on between the two of them…_right?_

There were about ten more shots that showed the pair together. It wasn't like they were standing that close to each other. Judging by the surroundings, it was night time when the pictures were taken. _Maybe they had dinner…together…by themselves? _No, no, no, it wasn't a date. Nick would never cheat on her. She was clicking through the pictures and one shot was a close-up of Gabriella. A wave of insecurity washed over Macy because Gabriella was a beautiful girl with long, dark, wavy hair. She had Spanish good looks and she was very fit. _She was a dancer after all. _Even though she was petite, she had curves in all the right places. She was, without a doubt, what boys would definitely call _sexy. _And there she was walking alongside with _her Nick_ during a warm sultry night in L.A. Macy was breathing heavily as she became paranoid about what could have happened between them. It's funny how the Macy Misa before, _the-single-unattached-to-Nick-Lucas_ Macy Misa, would have been excited over this piece of gossip like the Celebrity Brat. Because the rabid fan Macy Misa was quick to post anything relevant to the boys' love lives. And it was rare to find any gossip linking Nick with any girl because he was the most mysterious and the most private out of the three.

But now it was totally different because she _was dating Nick. _And any gossip linking Nick to any other girl was no longer welcoming. _Nick was hers and only hers_. What was this Gabriella Ramos doing with her boyfriend? And what was Nick doing with her in the first place? _Why were they together alone! _A tidal wave of paranoia overcame her.

"Macy? Are you okay?" Julian butted in with a concern look on his face.

"What? Oh sorry about that," Macy said while quickly snapping out of her trance. _No, she can't be jealous. _Nick was the most trustworthy guy out there. He would never cheat on her. He said so himself. That's why there had to be a perfectly good reason why he was out alone with Gabriella on a warm summer night in L.A. _Yup, there had to be a very good reason why her boyfriend was seen out with a very attractive girl._

Julian was still staring at her worriedly and said, "I'm sorry if the article upset you. I just wanted to make sure that you knew about it. After all, he is _your boyfriend and he is a rock star._ It's just probably garbage. But you have the right to know, just in case…"

He looked at her hoping for any sign of discomfort that the article might have brought upon her. But instead, she was deep in thought.

_I'm just being silly, _Macy thought to herself. _Julian is right. This is just probably garbage that the Celebrity Brat cooked up._

"Oh, the Celebrity Brat is always quick to make up stories," Macy finally said as she laughed it off. "She's just probably jumping to conclusion. I trust Nick. Believe me, there's nothing going on between him and Gabriella. He loves me. I know he does."

"Okay. That's good to hear," Julian said somewhat forcefully. "I would hate to see you guys break up."

"Yeah…"

When he finally left, Macy returned back to the Celebrity Brat's website and read the accompanying article. According to her news report, Nick and Gabriella were seen walking along the Hollywood strip taking in the air and having a deep conversation. According to her source, they seemed very comfortable and at ease with each other. _In other words, they definitely looked like a couple. _The article continued on to say that the pair was seen entering the hotel they were staying in. Macy was clenching her fist as she continued to read what the 'Brat' had to say. But most of the article was opinion based. And there was even a poll at the end where her readers could vote if they favored the return of 'Nabby' or not.

Macy clicked 'view results' and there was an overwhelming sixty-five percent in favor of the return of Nabby. Macy had an sudden urge to kill those people in that sixty-five percent. She was about to vote 'no' in the poll until the percentage NOT in favor surpassed those in favor for but she stopped herself before she did that. _She couldn't act like a psychotic jealous girlfriend. _She tried looking for more news about Nick but when she googled his name the same thing came up. The first ten search results were the same: _Gabby + Nick = true love?, Nabby Round 2, _and one was even so bold to call their so-called relationship _A Match Made in Teen Heaven. _The more she scrolled down, the more outrageous the articles sounded. Macy laughed to herself because it was then that she realized how ridiculous it sounded. The media really was desperate for news. _It was probably a slow day for them._

After she was done in the library, she headed home to eat dinner with her family. When the table was cleaned and all the dishes were washed up, Macy rushed up to the roof of her aunt's house so that she could finally call Nick.

_Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring._

While the phone was ringing, Macy tried to compose herself. She didn't want to bring up the article right away. It might make her seem mistrustful and that's the last thing she wanted Nick to think.

"Hello?"

"Nick! How are you? I'm sorry I couldn't call last night. You see my phone—

"So who is he?" Nick cut her off. He didn't want to waste any time because that question was bothering him the whole day.

"Huh? Who's who?" Macy asked him greatly perplexed.

"That guy that answered your phone yesterday," Nick said doing his best to not sound overly jealous.

"Huh? A guy? Oh! That must have been Julian. He's just a childhood friend. I ran into him the other day and I found out that he's also staying here in Martinsburg for the summer," Macy explained.

"What's he doing answering your phone, then?"

"Well, I accidentally dropped it at the library and he found it. But that's strange because I asked him if anyone called last night and he said no one did. He probably forgot."

"I don't know, Macy. I was getting a bad vibe from him," Nick said honestly. He didn't want to tell her flat out that he wasn't comfortable with the thought of his girlfriend spending the whole summer with a guy he hardly knew.

"_Nick…_are you jealous?" Macy said in an amused voice.

He paused before he honestly said, "Yes…I mean how do you think it makes me feel knowing that you're with another guy for the whole summer."

"Nick, you have nothing to worry about," she assured him. "Julian and I are just friends. Besides, he's taken. He's with Charlie."

"Oh! He's gay!" Nick exclaimed now sounding relieved.

"No, he's not gay, Nick. He's with Charlie,_ a girl. _Short for Charlene," Macy pointed out.

"Oh, I see. Well, does he know that you have a boyfriend?"

"Yeah, Julian knows I have a boyfriend. And…um…he knows it's you," Macy admitted.

"You told him?" Nick was surprised because they agreed to keep their relationship a secret from anyone not in their inner circle of friends. They decided on this mainly because Nick wanted to protect Macy's privacy. She wasn't used to being in the spotlight and he didn't want to overwhelm her with all the publicity that may come from dating him. He loved her so much that he didn't want to put her through all that.

"I didn't tell him. He sorta guessed it…" Macy said sheepishly.

"He guessed?"

"Yeah…He –uh- saw me staring at a picture of you one day…and that's how he knew…" she said shyly.

"Oh, so you were staring at a picture of me?" Nick said now in a highly amused voice because it was charming to know that Macy missed him so much that she would stare at photos of him in his absence. "Which picture?"

"The one where you were performing in L.A.," Macy revealed and then she remembered that it was now her turn to question Nick. "Speaking of pictures in L.A., I saw that current picture of you with-what's her name again? Gabriella Ramos? What's going on there, Nicholas?"

"I figured you'd see those but there's absolutely nothing going on between me and Gabby," Nick comforted her. "I went out with Joe, Kevin, and some of the back-up dancers including Gabby that night and we had dinner and then we went out to bowl at Pinz. They wanted to go out to a club next but you know me, I don't do clubs so I wanted to head back to the hotel and sleep and Gabby just tagged along. I guess she was tired too."

"Okay. I see," Macy said as she quietly let out a sigh of relief. She knew that Nick had a good reason to be seen out with Ms. Ramos. "I knew there wasn't anything to worry about. Celebrity Brat made it seem as if you guys were 'rekindling' your romance. Ha! Some source she had. There was no romance to begin with! She needs to get her facts straight if she wants to continue being a reliable source."

"Y-yeah. That's right. There's no romance," Nick said a bit uneasily because he never told Macy about his romantic past with Gabby and he knew that now wouldn't be a good time to confide in her about it especially when she was many miles away from him. _He knew she would get worried_ if she found out that he was in fact romantically involved with Gabby a long time ago. And Macy worried a lot and he didn't want her to be concerned. Besides, he would tell her in due time about Gabby when they were actually face-to-face.

"Anyway, I miss you so much, Nick," Macy admitted.

"I miss you, too, Mace," Nick answered lovingly. "I was actually depressed last night."

"Depressed? WHY?" Macy said now concerned.

"I didn't get to talk to you and then that guy Julian got me worried," he confessed.

"Awwwwe, Nick," Macy said clearly touched by his concern. "There's absolutely nothing you have to be jealous of. Julian's like a brother to me. I love you and only you. You know that."

"I know. I love you, too, Macy," Nick replied. "God, I wish I could come down there and kidnap you so you can be with me."

"Oh, please do it! I'll be more than happy to go with you. There's absolutely nothing to do here. I'm bored out of my mind, Nick! I swear if you came here no one would even recognize who you are. That's how detached the locals are from pop-culture."

Nick laughed.

"I would be there in a heartbeat if I could," he answered.

"Nicholas! What are you doing talking on the phone!" Macy heard his mother yelling at him in the background. "Our flight leaves in two hours! You need to start packing!"

"I guess I should let you go," Macy said sadly because she wanted to talk to him the whole night.

"Yeah…" Nick said equally sad. "We're flying to the east coast tonight. So at least the distance between us will be smaller."

"That's true," Macy agreed. "I'll call you same time tomorrow night."

"I'll be looking forward to it," he replied. "I love you, Macy."

"Love you, too!"

And so Macy's heart was set at ease. _She knew there was nothing to worry about._

And for the next few days, whenever Macy would see tabloid reports about Gabby and Nick together, she would dismiss them as plain 'gossip'. Nick told her there was nothing going on, so she believed that there was absolutely nothing going on between him and the beautiful dancer with exotic good looks. But as much as she dismissed all her insecurities about the whole affair, Macy could not help but still feel a bit overwhelmed by the countless amount of pictures that the paparazzi was able to take of them _in many numerous and different occasions_. But Nick would always insist that it wasn't just him and Gabby going out. He assured Macy that they always went out as a group with his brothers and their friends. Macy was staring at a new set of photos in the Celebrity Brat's website. From the looks of things, Nick and his brothers were at someone's birthday dinner. The cake had a big candle with the number eighteen. The girl sitting behind the cake was none other than Ms. Gabriella Ramos. Everyone seemed to be happy and in good spirits. She was zooming through the pictures because Macy could care less about Gabriella but then one photo caught her eye. It was a photo of Nick and Gabby, just the two of them. She wrapped her arm around his waist and Nick placed his arm around her shoulder. Nick usually never did that with strangers. The fact that he was so comfortable to do that with her just showed that they were close. She stared at the picture longer than she wanted to because one thought came running through her head. It was this: _Gabby and Nick looked really good together. _They would make such a handsome couple. She was a dancer and he was a singer. It was like a match made in music heaven. _What could Macy do? _She couldn't sing for her life. And dancing? Although she could dance much better than Nick, she was no match for Ms. Ramos. She was getting a bit uneasy as her anxiety intensified. Luckily the church bells rang signifying that she needed to go home and help out with supper.

It was the same routine every night, that is until she made her way up to the roof to call Nick.

_Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring._

This was odd. He usually answered his phone after two rings. She redialed his number again but he didn't pick up. He was probably asleep but it was only 9pm. Maybe he was taking a shower. He wouldn't pick up the phone if he was in the bathroom. _That had to be it_, Macy assured herself. She was going to wait a little while before she tried calling him again but her aunt called for her from below to help out with her cousins who were acting up. So reluctantly she went downstairs and had to pull Jacob away from Jade, who was currently holding him in a headlock. By the time things settled down it was already too late to give him a call so she decided to wait for the next day to try again.

So Macy followed the same routine as per usual. She did her chores in the morning and ate lunch with her relatives and then headed down to the library. And once again she saw a familiar face.

"Hey, Julian!" she greeted him happily. Macy noticed that Julian was also spending a lot of time in the library just like her.

"Hey, Macy," he answered as he got up from his seat.

"I feel like I always run into you here," Macy pointed out. Julian knew that his time using the computer was up. It was like clock work for them as they took turns using the only computer with internet access in the town.

"Yeah, I just needed to check the usual but…um…I think you should check out the Celebrity Brat's page," he said uneasily. "She posted…um…another interesting article."

"Is it about Nick and Gabriella or 'Nabby' as the media liked to call them?" Macy said as she tried to brush off any form of insecurity left in her. "Nick told me not to believe anything she posts. It's all garbage anyway."

"_Okaaay _but I still think you should check it out," Julian repeated as he backed away from the computer.

So Macy took a seat and typed in the particular web address that she was asked to visit and sure enough, there was that same picture of Nick and Gabby together in her birthday bash, the one photo that caused her some distress. But now it wasn't just the picture itself that was bothering her but it was the title of the entry that was now making her uneasy.

And so Macy began to read.

* * *

**_One-on-one with the Birthday Girl, Gabriella Ramos, as She Dishes Out on Her Romance with Nick Lucas and More!_**

_CB: Happy Birthday, Gabby!_

_GR: Thanks!_

_CB: I heard you had quite a birthday bash._

_GR: Yup! It was great. My closest friends came down to visit and a lot of those on tour celebrated with me. We just had dinner and went out to one of the clubs here in New York._

_CB: Aww. That's nice. Did you get what you wished for?_

_GR: Yes. And so much more._

_CB: How has touring with JONAS been like so far?_

_GR: It's been great. I've known the boys since they first started off so it's like getting reunited with my extended family._

_CB: And I see from your official birthday pictures that they were able to celebrate your birthday with you._

_GR: Yup! Nick, Joe, and Kevin are such sweethearts. They are always good company._

_CB: Speaking of the boys, rumor has it that you and Nick are an item again. Is that true?_

_GR: (laughs) No, not at all! That's definitely not true. What we had is all in the past._

_CB: In the past? But there are pictures of you and Nick spotted together in L.A. You seem like you guys were out on a date._

_GR: Oh that? I saw those too. But that wasn't a date. We went out with some friends and they wanted to go somewhere else but Nick and I just wanted to head back to the hotel and call it a night._

_CB: So there is really nothing going on between you two?_

_GR: Nope. None whatsoever. But I can understand why people might think otherwise. Nick and I are really close and we did share a special bond before. I mean I was his first kiss after all. But, like I said before, that's all in the past. _

_CB: Whoa! That's news to me actually. You were Nick Lucas' first kiss?_

_GR: Crap. I think I spoke too much. Nick's gonna kill me. Please, don't print that part. I'm begging you._

_CB: I don't know if I can promise you that. This is pretty juicy stuff. But readers you heard it hear first! Gabriella Ramos was Nick Lucas' first kiss! It was nice chatting with you, Gabby! And thanks for this wonderful interview!_

* * *

Macy felt numb after reading all that. _Don't believe anything you read unless you hear it from Nick. _Macy kept the mantra running in her head. Her whole body became even colder than before as she read that part about Nick's first kiss over and over again. That couldn't be true because Nick didn't say anything about kissing Gabriella before.

"Macy? Are you okay?" Julian asked her worriedly. Her face was as white as a ghost.

"I'm f-fine," she lied as she tried to cope with what she just read.

"Just making sure because I don't –

"But who the hell does this Gabriella girl think she is? She's obviously lying about being Nick's first kiss! I don't know what she's trying to pull but if I ever meet her I'm going to make sure to let her have a piece of my mind," Macy said angrily. "This is just a load of crap. I know Nick and I know that he never kissed Gabriella. We hide nothing from each other."

"Okay. I'm sorry if the article upset you. I'm just looking out for you," Julian told her.

"I know. I know," Macy said calmly. "And thanks for doing that, Julian. That's really sweet of you. But I trust Nick and I know that there was no romantic past between him and Gabriella. He would have told me if there was."

But throughout the day, Macy had to keep reassuring herself that Gabriella was a liar but then why did she say _she spoke too much? __And why would she say that Nick was going to kill her?_ Macy kept looking at the clock hoping that it would be 9pm soon because she so desperately wanted to call Nick and ask him about all of this. _Gabriella was lying; she just had to be..._

Back in New York, JONAS played to a full house at Madison Square Garden.

"You guys have been great!" shouted Joe. "Thank you for having us New York!"

The three of them took a bow as they waved good-bye to their screaming fans. Once the curtains fell, Nick bolted off the stage.

"Nick! Where do you think you're rushing off to?" his mother, who had been watching from backstage, called after him.

"I need to get my phone!" Nick yelled back. The concert finished exactly at 9pm, the time Macy usually called him. He was still upset that he missed her phone call yesterday and he didn't want to miss it again twice in a row.

He closed the door of his dressing room and turned his phone on and found that he had no missed call. He checked the time again to make sure he got it right. _It was 9:05pm. _Why hasn't Macy called? Waiting for only a few seconds, he decided to give her a call but in the middle of dialing his phone rang and he almost dropped it surprise.

"MACY!" he said enthusiastically over the phone without even checking the caller-id. "I'm sorry I missed your call last night. It was someone's birthday yesterday and we went out to celebrate and then I accompanied my mom and Frankie to a Broadway show. And my phone died in the middle of the night. Talk about bad luck! I really wanted to talk to you."

"Yeah, that's fine but who does she think she is!" Macy retorted.

"Who are you talking about?" he asked her quizzically.

"That Gabriella! Okay, I understand when the Celebrity Brat does it but how can she, your so-called friend, blatantly lie! I mean some nerve she has to spread false rumors!" Macy said incredulously. "She told the whole world that she was your first kiss! How desperate can she be! It's really pitiful if anything."

"She said that?" Nick said unbelievably because he was upset that Gabby would talk about that in public. And without realizing how it could effect Macy, he freely said, "Why on earth would she reveal that to the Celebrity Brat! Gabby knows I like to keep that stuff private."

"Wait. _Are you saying that...what she said was...true?_"

Nick gulped because he knew he couldn't keep it hidden from her any longer.

"Yes, but that was like two years ago, Mace," he said quickly. "It was way before you and I started dating."

Silence.

"Macy, are you still there?"

"_I thought…I was your first kiss,_" Macy said in a small voice.

Nick knew that voice. It was the voice that would always make his heart break because he could tell Macy was hurt by this revelation.

"Macy…" he said comfortingly. He wasn't sure what he could say to ease the pain. "Gabby means nothing to me. That kiss was stupid. If I could go back in time, I would have waited to have my first kiss with you—

"_You lied to me…_" Macy said as her voice began to break. Tears were now streaming down her eyes because all this time, she thought that she was the first girl Nick had ever been with.

"_What?_ I didn't lie to you. I just…um…didn't tell you…" Nick admitted sheepishly. He knew he was screwing this up because that _definitely wasn't the right thing to say._

"THAT'S THE SAME THING NICHOLAS!" Macy said angrily. "All this time I thought the Celebrity Brat was lying about your past relationship with her but no! She was telling the truth the whole time! You had a past with Gabby that I knew nothing about! And you didn't tell me. _How could you do this to me?_"

"Macy, I'm sorry—

"This whole time, you made me believe that nothing ever went on between you and Gabriella," Macy continued her heated tirade. "I know you kissed Penny last year and that's understandable. I forgave you for that. But this! There's no excuses, Nick. You purposely hid this from me."

"Macy, calm down, please. That was two years ago, way before we even got together," Nick tried to reason out. "I didn't think it was important enough to tell you because honestly, I forgot about it."

"YOU FORGOT?" Macy yelled unbelievingly. "How can you forget your first kiss, Nick? You knew you were my first kiss. _I told you and I thought I was yours…_"

"Macy, is this what this is all about? Are you upset that you weren't my first kiss?" Nick said as he tried to understand where all this anger was coming from.

"You don't get it, Nick!" Macy yelled even louder. "You hid your relationship with Gabby from me!"

"Macy, please stop getting so mad. You make it seem as if I cheated on you but I didn't," Nick pointed out.

But Macy wasn't listening to him anymore and she said, "And that night we spent together you said you never hooked up with any of the groupies on tour…that was such bullshit."

Nick knew Macy was furious with him and so he tried his best to calm her down but because this was their first major fight, he weakly reasoned out and said, "Well…um…Gabby, isn't technically a groupie so—

"_OH! I'm sorry! My bad._ I didn't know we were being so technical here," Macy said sarcastically. "She's a back-up dancer _not a groupie_. Like that makes things better! That's what's wrong with you, Nick. It's like every time I talk to you its like talking to a wall. To get out information, I have to act like a CIA agent and figure everything out myself. Otherwise, you follow this don't-ask-don't-tell policy."

"Macy, please listen to me," Nick pleaded with her. "I'm sorry you had to find out all of this from the internet. But I was going to tell you. I just didn't want to worry you especially when we're so far apart."

"So you thought hiding this from me was better? Well, you thought wrong, Nick!" she said furiously. "Now this got me wondering what other stuff you've been hiding from me…_oh my god wait a minute…_You probably had your first time with Gabby, too."

"MACY!" Nick now said appalled that she would even suggest that. "You know that's not true. You're the first girl I had sex with."

"Really? How do I know that? I NEVER BOTHERED ASKING YOU BEFORE!" Macy yelled into the phone. "I assumed that I was but now I know that my assumptions are not always correct."

"Macy, please, you're getting a bit paranoid. You were the first girl I've ever slept with. That's the honest truth," Nick said loudly hoping that what he was saying was sinking into her brain.

"I don't know, Nick," Macy said as she was now sobbing loudly. "I don't know what to believe anymore..."

"Macy, please stop crying," Nick begged her because even though he couldn't see her, the sound of her weeping was enough to break his heart. "So what if Gabby was my first kiss. That doesn't mean anything."

"OF COURSE IT MEANS SOMETHING! It means that you were attracted to her at one point. And you're going to be with her for three months and I'm not there. You might get lonely one night and—

"MACY PLEASE STOP. I'M NOT GOING TO CHEAT ON YOU!"

"Then why are all these pictures of you two together keep popping up online?" Macy exclaimed. "Every night you're out there gallivanting with your ex-girlfriend and I'm stuck here in the middle of nowhere, completely miserable! You tried to act all innocent and say there's nothing to worry about. But I have all reason to worry. She's probably plotting a way to win you back just as we speak and you're going to fall for it. And then you're going to leave me…"

"_Macy, please calm down—_

"No, Nick…I can't believe you didn't tell me that you had a past with her…"

"I didn't want to worry you. That's why I chose not to tell you and I only found out that she was going to be on tour with us when we had our first show."

"_I called you every night, Nick. You could have told me then_," Macy argued. Her tears were now streaming down her cheeks and it was getting harder and harder for her to speak. "My mom…was…right…Maybe…you were…a mistake…You're like...a typical...rock-star..."

"Macy…_please don't do this,_" Nick pleaded with her because he already knew where this was going before she even said anything.

"I don't know you at all…You know what, Nick? Don't bother telling me anything anymore…_Oh wait, you already do that!_ I hope you and Gabby have a happy life together because you and me, we're done."

"Please, don't break up with me because of this, over nothing! I don't like Gabby! SHE'S NOTHING TO ME! You know I love you, Macy. You mean everything to me—Macy? Hello? _HELLO?_"

But she was no longer responding. Instead, Nick Lucas heard the dial tone and that's when it hit him. _He and Macy were over. _And that in itself tore his heart completely.

* * *

**Closing Remarks:**

Oh the drama. Seriously will I ever give Nick and Macy a break? Hm...no, I don't see that happening. LOL. Anyway you can expect more drama. How will Nick win Macy back? And even though Julian's character took a back seat in this chapter, expect him to take a more active role in future chapters. And if you already hate Julian now, you're going to hate him even more later on...His character will take _a very dark turn_...that's the only hint I'm giving. And for Gabriella? What will she do next? Was Macy right that she will make a move on Nick, now that he's all grown-up looking and newly single? It's all up in the air. I highly doubt that I'll have the next chapter up tomorrow. So find out what happens next in 2011! Good bye 2010! You've been great!

So READ AND REVIEW! And I'd love to hear all your predictions on what may happen next! If you guess right, you'll get a shout-out at the end of the next chapter!

THANKS! REVIEW PLEASE!

-Penelope36


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 Dazed and Confused**

"Macy! MACY!" Nick yelled into his phone but there was silence on the other end of the line. He tried dialing her number again but it went straight to voicemail.

_Crap. Crap. CRAP. _

If there was a moment when Nick felt so hopeless, now was that time. He was panicking as he paced back and forth in his dressing room. _He couldn't believe Macy broke up with him over the phone._ He tried calling her over and over again but her phone was off. He was looking at it hoping that she would call him back again and say that she was over-reacting. But he knew that thought was wishful thinking because one thing was sure:_ Nick Lucas screwed up BIG time_. Macy was right. He shouldn't have kept his past relationship with Gabby a secret…_but he didn't think it could lead to this…_

There was a knock on his door.

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE, PLEASE!" Nick yelled waspishly.

"Excuse me! Is that the way you talk to your good old friend Stella Malone!"

"Stella!" Nick quickly opened the door and sure enough, there was his brother's girlfriend. "What are you doing here?"

"I was in the area. Don't you remember I'm taking summer classes in FIT?" Stella reminded him.

"Oh, yeah," Nick said because he did forget that important detail.

"Anyway, sorry to interrupt whatever it was you were doing. I just wanted to say hi. Joe actually made dinner reservations for us so I should go."

Nick nodded his head. He was still shaken by what Macy said but he was glad Stella was there because he needed a female's point of view. She was almost out the door when Nick called after her, "Stella, wait!"

"What is it?"

"Something really bad happened," Nick admitted as he sat down on his couch.

"Oh my god! What? What happened?" Stella asked him worriedly as she rushed to sit next to him.

"_Macy b-broke up with m-me…"_ Nick said as he leaned forward with his face in his hands.

"WHAAAAAAT?" Stella said in complete shock. "Why did this happen? You two were so in love!"

"We got into a huge argument and she wasn't listening to what I had to say and she just ended it…_just like that_," Nick said still in disbelief. His voice cracked as his eyes began to water.

"An argument about what? Macy wouldn't just break up with you over nothing," Stella remarked because her best friend was a smart and reasonable girl.

Nick paused because he knew he was the one in the wrong but Stella deserved to know because if there was anyone who knew Macy as much as him, it was her.

"Well…um…do you know about Gabriella Ramos?"

"Yeah. Isn't she the dancer that the media always links with you? What about her?"

"Well, that's the main reason why we got into this whole fight. Apparently, Gabby told the Celebrity Brat that she was my first kiss and Macy got upset that she found out from the internet and not from me that we-uh- sorta had a thing before. And now she's all paranoid that I'm cheating on her because I'm here with Gabby and she's in Pennsylvania. "

Stella pursed her lips when he explained this to her and then said, "You want me to be honest with you, right?"

"Of course!"

"Well, then now I understand why Macy called it off with you because why on earth didn't you tell her about Gabby in the first place? The fact that you hid it from her just makes the whole situation even worse because it seems like you're not comfortable telling her about your past."

"But I didn't think it was important. It was before Macy and I even got together. And you know Macy worries a lot and I just wanted to protect her."

"_Nick!_ Macy is a big girl. She can handle the truth. The problem isn't that you kissed Gabby. The problem is that you never told her. She trusted you, Nick, and she feels like you betrayed her by hiding your relationship with Gabby even if it was before you two got together."

Nick let out a loud sigh and looked over at Stella. _She was like a big sister to him._

"I messed up, didn't I?"

Giving him a weak smile, she nodded her head and said, "Yep. You kinda did."

"But do you think this is the end for us? I tried calling her back but she's not picking up. She hates me..."

"I think she needs time to let this blow over. Just give her time," Stella said.

"But how much time should I give her? I don't know what she's thinking and what if it gets worse day by day and she really wants to call it quits," Nick said loudly. "I can't lose her, Stella…"

"Well, I can't speak for Macy but all I know is that she really loved you, Nick. And I believe that when her anger dies down, she'll eventually come around and listen to what you have to say."

"I don't know, Stella. She sounded really upset…"

"I know, sweetie but can you really blame her? You should've told her about Gabby."

"I know…" Nick said gloomily.

"But you know what? I'll try talking to her for you," Stella offered as she gave him a comforting hug.

"Thanks, Stella. I'd really appreciate that," Nick replied gratefully. "And tell her that I'm really sorry and that I love her and that I'll never cheat on her because Gabby means absolutely nothing to me and-

"OKAY! I'll see what I can do," Stella interrupted him but before she could say anything else, she heard Joe calling for her. "Well, I got to go. Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll try," Nick said as he did his best to give her a smile to show that he'll be fine.

"Call me if you need anything else," Stella said before she left.

And so Nick took Stella's advice and waited for Macy to come around. But a day passed and she still didn't call. He was growing restless and it didn't help that his mood grew even more sour with each passing moment because Stella told him that Macy didn't want to talk to him any time soon. It was affecting his mood immensely.

"NICHOLAS! WHY ON EARTH DID YOU MAKE FRANKIE CRY?" his mother yelled at him one afternoon.

"He was being a brat," Nick answered because now that everyone knew that he and Macy called it quits, Frankie couldn't help but rub it in his face that she left him. "He was asking for it."

"But that doesn't mean you go and break his play station!" his mother scolded him. "You go apologize to him this instant, mister!"

"Fine," Nick answered without raising his voice because he knew better than to talk back to his mother.

But it wasn't only Frankie that was now afraid to talk to Nick because everyone on tour was scared that he would snap at them at any moment.

"Yo, bro, you need to chill out. Everyone's afraid of you," Kevin told him one day. "You need to accept the fact that Macy needs her space now. Maybe this is good for the both of you."

"_How is this good for us?_" Nick answered back angrily. "Macy hates me. What if she doesn't want anything to do with me anymore?"

"Well, you guys aren't going to see each other for awhile. Maybe this break is good for Macy so she can be numb from all the gossip circling around you and Gabby," Kevin pointed out.

"But that's the thing! I don't want her to worry about all that nonsense. I know Macy and the fact that I'm single now, she's going to think I'm going to hook up with Gabby," Nick replied. "I don't want her to think that."

"Well, what can you do Nick? She's all the way in-uh- wherever she is and you're on tour," Joe butted in.

"I don't know," Nick said helplessly. "I just want to talk to her—

"SOUND CHECK IN ONE MINUTE!" called Big Man when he opened the door to their dressing room.

"You ready?" Joe asked Nick as he followed Kevin out on stage.

"Yeah, just give me a minute," Nick said.

Once they were gone, Nick took his phone out and dialed Macy's number again. As he expected, it went straight to voicemail but that didn't stop him from leaving another message. "Macy, it's me again. I know you're phone is probably full of all my messages but I just want to talk to you. Please, Macy, forgive me. I'm sorry. Please, call me back. I love you."

He was about to join his brothers when someone suddenly bumped into him.

"Sorry about that—Oh it's you Nick!" Gabriella exclaimed when she saw him.

Nick glared at her because _she was the last person he wanted to see._ He wasn't even going to acknowledge her presence and was about to side-step her when she called out to him, "Nick, you're mad at me because of what I told the Celebrity Brat, aren't you? But I'm really sorry. I told her not to print that part about your first kiss because I know you like your privacy—

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, GABBY?" Nick finally blew up on her when he turned around to face her. "Do you know how much trouble you caused me? My girlfriend won't even talk to me!"

"I'm so sorry," Gabriella sincerely apologized. "I didn't even know you had a girlfriend. Do you want me to talk to her and clear things up?"

"No, you did enough damage, Gabby," Nick said tersely. "Thanks to you, she broke up with me."

"Oh my gosh! I'm really sorry, Nick. I was stupid to even talk to the Celebrity Brat—

"Like hell you were! Why did you even bring it up? It was so unnecessary—

"I know it was but it just slipped out. I'm really, REALLY SORRY."

"I don't need your apology," Nick said angrily.

"Please, don't stay mad at me," Gabriella tried to reason with him. "I'll do anything to help fix the situation."

"Okay, fine. You know what you should do?"

"What? Name it and I'll do it," she said eagerly.

"_Just stay the hell away from me and leave me alone from now_," Nick said adamantly.

And with that Gabriella ran away from him with tears in her eyes. _Great, now he made two girls cry. _This was turning out to be the worst week ever for Mr. Nick Lucas.

Back in Martinsburg, Macy laid bed-ridden. Her excuse was that she had a bad stomach-ache but she was really suffering from a broken heart because she still couldn't believe Nick lied to her. She noticed her phone was piling up with his messages but she didn't want to listen to any of them because the pain was still so raw for her. _It will only be a matter of time until he gives up and then he can run into the arms of Gabriella Ramos. _At least the media would be in favor of them getting together. She was looking at the promise ring he gave her a few weeks before. Because it reminded her of Nick, she took it off and placed it on top of her dresser. She didn't feel like wearing it right now because how can she promise herself to him _when he wasn't even comfortable sharing his past with her?_

It was only then that she got a good look at her reflection in the mirror. She was a complete mess. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes were so puffy from crying. And then she saw the necklace that symbolized that she held Nick's heart. She wanted to rip it off but she couldn't bare to do that because even though she was so mad at him right now, it was going to take time to let go of him completely. _She needed to do it slowly and gradually. _So she kept it on.

What Macy needed the most during this crucial time was Stella because her best friend always knew what to do to make her feel better. But when Macy called her, Stella tried to convince her that the best thing to do was to hear Nick out but Macy did not want to hear anything more from him. _It was obvious that Nick talked to Stella to try to get her to talk to him. _But Macy wasn't having any of it. _He broke her trust. _

She was about to go back to bed and sleep all her sorrows away. Slumber was her coping mechanism for the past two days of heart-break but she was interrupted by a knock on her door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me Julian. Is it alright if I come in? I have something for you."

Quickly opening the door, Macy saw Julian holding a big bouquet of yellow tulips, her favorite flower.

"Oh wow! Thanks Julian. They're beautiful," Macy said happily as she took the flowers from him.

"Your aunt told me that you weren't feeling well so I thought this will make you feel better," Julian said thoughtfully. "Although I think you're suffering from more than just a stomach virus."

Macy let out a loud sigh because she was suffering from something much worse than stomach sickness. Yet she wasn't sure if she should tell Julian now because _it was more of a girl problem._

"Let me guess," Julian finally said because he could sense her hesitation in disclosing whatever it was that was bothering her. "It's about Nick, isn't it?"

And because just hearing his name was strong enough to renew the pain, Macy once again broke down in tears and told Julian everything. When she was done venting, he put an arm around her as Macy continued to cry into his shoulder.

"There, there, Mace," he said as he comforted her. "It's going to be alright. Maybe this is for the best."

"_How can this be for the best!_" Macy cried out while her tears were still streaming down her cheeks. "I love him. He's everything to me…maybe I over-reacted. I think I should call him back and hear what he has to say."

"No!" Julian yelled out abruptly but when he noticed Macy's shocked look on her face from his sudden outburst, he regained composure and said, "Ahem- I mean you should let him realize that what he did was wrong. Give him time to think about his mistake. The fact that he hid his relationship with Gabriella is enough to suspect that he might have other skeletons in his closet."

"Oh my god, you're right!" Macy said as she wailed in tears. "I don't know what else he could be keeping from me…"

"That's okay. I mean he seemed like he was a decent guy but looks can deceive," Julian pointed out to her. "I think it's best that you let this whole thing blow over and if he really wants to make things right, he would try even harder to win your heart back."

"So are you saying that I should just wait and see what he does instead of going to him?"

"Exactly," Julian said as he wiped the tears away from her cheeks with his thumb. "Now why don't we do something fun. Fresh air could do you good."

And so Julian grabbed her hand and the two of them ran to their favorite spot in the field. It was the big old sycamore tree that was exactly midway between Macy's aunt's farm and his parents' place. Ever since they were little, the two of them would always meet at this spot and at one point they even had a tree house set up for them, until it got destroyed by a massive rain storm when they were five-years-old.

"Wow. This is like walking down memory lane with you," Macy exclaimed as she looked up at her beloved tree. "It's still in good shape."

"Well, what do you expect it's a tree," Julian pointed out. "Anyway I was here the other day and look what I found."

He was pointing to a particular spot on the tree that had a little engraving on it. It said _Julian + Macy= friends forever. _

"I remember making that sign," Macy said slowly as she ran her fingers on top of the etching to feel its presence. "We were really inseparable, weren't we?"

"Yeah, we were," Julian agreed. "Like two peas in a pod."

"Hahaha. That's so true," Macy said as she sat next to him on the ground. "You were my partner in crime, Ju-ju."

"Yup," Julian said softly as he turned towards her. He took her hand in his and said tenderly, "Macy, do you believe in fate?"

"Fate…?" she repeated nervously because she was still staring at their linked hands. Her heart began to beat very rapidly.

"Yes, fate...What I'm trying to say is that do you think God brought us here together this summer for a special purpose? I mean I haven't seen or heard from you since forever and then the one summer that I decide to visit my parents, you're here so unexpected. It's like we both wanted to come here for a special reason without realizing that we would run into each other."

"Oh…well, I could see what you mean. But I don't know if it's exactly fate. You came here on your own. I was…um…sort of forced to come here…"

"I thought you wanted to see your aunt?"

"Yeah, well that's not really true…" Macy continued. "My mom sent me here because she was angry with me…"

"Why?"

"She…um…was worried that my relationship with Nick was getting too serious too fast and she wanted me to break things off with him. She said that a guy like Nick won't take girls seriously since he's a rock star and all."

"Your mom only wants what's best for you," Julian piped in.

"Yeah, I know that now. So that's why she wanted me to spend some time away from Nick because she didn't want me to do _anything stupid," _Macy said scornfully. "I guess it's a little too late for that."

"Macy, don't feel bad. So what if Nick tricked you? That's all in the past. You should forget about him because you can do so much better than him," Julian comforted her.

She was shaking her head and said, "Maybe you're right but the truth is that I can't stand seeing Nick with another girl. Last year, when this other girl Penny was trying to steal him away from me, I couldn't take it. She was Miss Perfect in every way so it was natural that Nick would be smitten with her. And then now with Gabriella…She's so beautiful and talented. Any guy would want her over me…When Nick moves on, he's going to recognize that I was a mistake. He's going to realize that I'm nothing and that he wasted his time on me when he could be with someone extraordinary…because Nick is amazing. He's the most perfect guy out there…_He deserves someone better than me…someone like Gabriella..."_

"MACY DON'T SAY THAT!" Julian said as he embraced her tightly. He didn't like seeing her like this. It was very disheartening. "You are so much more than anyone else I know. You're smart, beautiful, brave, and caring. Even though we were separated for so long, I never forgot about you because you're one in a million, Macy. You really are one of a kind, truly special. No other girl can even compare to you. Just remember that."

"_Julian, _you're so sweet," Macy said as she gave him a weak smile. "I feel like we were never apart because being with you like this, it feels so right just like during the good old times. It's like I can tell you everything and I know you're really listening to what I have to say. Hm...I bet if I went out with you, my mom would be extremely happy. She always wanted me to marry someone who was going places in life like you, Julian."

"Then let's do it. Let's get married," Julian piped in.

"What are you talking about?"

"We always talked about getting married even when we were little, remember?"

"Oh god, I do remember that! We said that we wanted to live in the mountains and have a pet bear."

"That's right and you said that you wanted to own your own pony so that you can ride up and down the pathway," Julian added.

"I did say that! And you wanted to open up your own library in the house that we lived in so that travelers can read about local tales when they stayed in our inn. Geez, Julian, you were such a nerd even back then!"

"Hey! At least, my 'nerdiness' is paying off now," Julian retorted.

"You're right. You're going to be a great lawyer, Julian. I mean you had tons of practice arguing with me back in the day," Macy said as she laughed loudly.

"That's very true," Julian said with a smile on his face. "Remind me to thank you when I get my law degree."

"Sure thing," Macy said. She looked at him and she was still surprised by how much he had grown since the last time she saw him. _He really was a handsome boy…just like Nick…_Macy tried to shake any thoughts of her _ex-boyfriend_ away from her head. And so she turned towards Julian and said, "Thanks for being such a good friend…_Ju-ju_. I really appreciate it."

"No problem. What are friends for?"

And at that moment, when he looked at her, Macy did something so unexpected. You see, Macy was a complete mess. She lost Nick. But Julian just happened to come in at just the right time when she was experiencing an all time low. She looked into his eyes and saw the complete sincerity he had for her. _He was still her Ju-ju. _And because of this, she leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his lips. It was suppose to be a quick kiss but the moment her lips touched his, she couldn't control herself and their kiss deepened. Because when she closed her eyes, there were images of Nick…_the boy that broke her heart. _Even though she was so mad at him right now, she couldn't help but love Nick. She was about to break away but she felt Julian hold on to her even tighter and kiss her back with equal force. Macy could not help but notice that Julian was a _really good kisser. _When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing heavily as they tried to catch their breaths.

Macy looked at him and her eyes widened.

Putting her hand to her head, she leapt up and yelled, "OH MY GOD JULIAN! I'M SO SORRY. I SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT!"

"No, Macy, it's fine—

"No, no, no! I'm such a horrible person. And you have a girlfriend…I'm so sorry…"

Macy was about to turn and leave but Julian grabbed her arm to stop her. She was surprised by how strong his grip was on her.

"There's really no problem. I actually-um- broke up with Charlie a few days ago…" Julian admitted while still holding onto Macy.

"You did? Why?"

"Well, it just wasn't working out. We were in two different stages in our relationship. She was getting too clingy and I just needed some space…"

"Oh I see…but I still shouldn't have kissed you…it was stupid…"

"No, please don't think like that," Julian pleaded with her. "To be honest…I've always had feelings for you…and that's why I was talking about fate before because I believe we were meant to be together—

"I'm sorry, Julian, I can't do this right now," Macy reasoned out. "I just got out of a relationship and I really—

"I mean we don't have to do anything right now. We can take it slowly, step-by-step but just please think about it…Macy, I'll take good care of you. And we know each other so well, I think this could actually work."

"Hm…maybe you're right…" Macy said quietly as she began to consider this but she knew she wasn't in the right set of mind to get into another relationship, so she retracted what she said. "No, Julian, I can't…this is too sudden…"

"Please, Macy just consider it. There was a reason why you kissed me, Macy. And you know what that reason is."

"I do?"

"Yes, you do. I like you Macy and I know you like me, too."

Macy bit her lip because she felt conflicted. She did like Julian but she wasn't sure if she liked him in _that way. _But then why did she kiss him? _Was Julian right? Did she like him more than just a friend?_

Because she was unsure herself, she honestly said, "I don't know…Can we talk about this later? I need some time to think about this…"

"Okay, definitely. Take your time but just know that I'll always be here for you," Julian assured her.

And that night, Macy was not only burdened with thoughts about Nick Lucas but now she was facing another dilemma—her feelings for Julian. Did she really like him? Was that why she kissed him? Or was she still thinking about Nick when she kissed him? So many things were running through her head. _It was really overwhelming. _She needed to sort out her feelings before she confronted Julian again. Because of all of this, Macy ended up sleeping past midnight.

It was half past ten when Macy woke up. _Crap. _She had so much chores to do in the morning. She knew she was behind schedule but she didn't want to get into trouble so as quietly as possible she snuck out the back door to make it seem as if she was awake the whole time. There were many clouds in the sky making it seem even darker than usual at eleven o' clock. Today was the day she needed to start painting the old barn and she was on her way there when she heard her Aunt Wanda's voice coming from the front porch. The fact that she was yelling was surprising because her aunt was a quiet and frail lady. Therefore, Macy stopped in her tracks so that she could hear exactly what her aunt was saying.

"Did you say Mischa? Yes, Mischa is staying here."

"No, not Mischa, MACY!" yelled the other person her aunt was talking to. "M-A-C-Y."

The voice sounded familiar…_but it couldn't be…_

"M-A-C-Y? I'm sorry, sir, but there's no one here by that name. Please, leave."

"I can't leave. I know this is the right place. I have to see her," the other person yelled.

"Please, go away or else I'll call the sheriff."

But Macy needed to find out who exactly her Aunt Wanda was speaking to so she ran to the front of the house,_ and there he was_.

Standing before her aunt was none other than _Nick Lucas._

* * *

**Closing Remarks:**

For the last bit, I mentioned before that Aunt Wanda calls Macy, Mischa instead of her real name since she's hard of hearing. That's where all the confusion with the last conversation with Nick came from. Anyway, Nick Lucas has arrived in Martinsburg! To be honest, it was kind of sad not having Nick and Macy interact face-to-face for the past few chapters. So I'm excited to bring them together in the following chapters. Part 1 of this story is almost finish. Two chapters more. And then Part 2 will begin with less drama.

But what sort of drama can you expect next? How will Macy react to Nick being there? What will happen when Julian and Nick meet face to face? Expect the drama to really intensify. And it's crucial in the storyline to note that it was Macy, _not Julian_, who initiated that kiss.

READ & REVIEW PLEASE! Thanks!

-Penelope36


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: Just a reminder that this story is rated a mature-T! Okay, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 6: The Devil's Advocate**

"Nick…" Macy said in complete shock. _"_What are you doing here?"

"MACY!" Nick said as he ran towards her. "Macy, I needed to see you. You weren't answering your calls. I was getting worried."

"Nick, you shouldn't have come—

"Mischa, you know this young man?" her aunt asked her loudly.

"You're Mischa?" Nick asked her confused but she ignored him and looked at her aunt who was still staring at her curiously.

For a second, Macy was tempted to say 'no' because she really didn't feel like facing Nick right now but she knew that would be wrong so she nodded her head reluctantly and said, "Yes. He's just an acquaintance though."

_Acquaintance!_ Nick looked at her greatly alarmed when she said this because since when were he and Macy just _acquaintances? _It was obvious that she was still mad at him. Macy turned around and headed towards the back of the house.

"Macy, can we please talk?" Nick pleaded with her while following closely behind her.

"Nick, did you come here to try and fix things with me? Well then, you're just wasting your time," Macy said curtly as she picked up the can of red paint in the back porch.

"MACY, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU…" Nick shouted to her hoping that she could turn around and face him but she was being stubborn and continued her way to the barn. _She was determined to finish her chores._

"Please, leave me alone because I'm really busy. I have to paint the barn."

"Macy, you can't do that," Nick told her plainly. And this time Macy turned around to glare at him.

"_Oh, you think you can dictate things on me now that you're here_? Well, news flash, Nick! You're not my boyfriend anymore," Macy said angrily. "You made that very clear when you decided to go frolicking out with that new_ skank _of yours."

"Mace, that's not what I meant," Nick said. "I mean you can't paint now because it's going to rain."

And as if on cue, a very loud thunder rumbled across the sky causing Macy to flinch. She hated thunderstorms and she was about to leap into Nick's arms because he usually comforted her during times like this but she stopped herself just in time.

Because all chores had to be halted for the day, everyone including Nick was sitting in her Auntie Wanda's living room. _It was a very tense environment. _

Macy and Nick shared the couch but she sat as far away from him as possible.

"So let me get this straight," her Aunt Jane, who was sitting opposite from them, said more directed towards Macy. "Nick is just an acquaintance who drove all the way from New Jersey to see you in Martinsburg?"

"Yes," Macy answered quickly before he could speak.

"Macy!" Nick said loudly as he turned towards her because he still couldn't believe that she would introduce him like that to her relatives. _It was really depressing._

But before he could correct her, Macy's cousins Jacob and Jade came running into the house covered in mud from head to toe.

"My goodness! What happened to you two?" their mother yelled at them.

"We were caught in the rain storm but oh my gosh, Mace, we made this cool mud-slide you should come out and—OH MY GOD," Jade started off to stay before she looked over at her older cousin and saw just exactly who it was sitting next to her. "Y-your N-Nick Lucas! From JONAS!"

"Er…um…yeah" Nick said sheepishly because he really didn't feel like being recognized as a musician right now but nevertheless he gave the young girl a small wave.

"NICK LUCAS IS HERE?" Jade screamed even louder and she ran towards him and gave him a big hug without realizing that he dirtied the young man's clothes with mud."Oh my gosh you are my favorite because you are the cutest and hottest one there! CAN YOU MARRY ME PLEASE?"

The young girl kept squealing in delight while her brother tried to play it off cool but everyone could tell that he was just as starstruck as his sister.

"Macy, may I have a word with you in the kitchen?" her aunt said sternly.

Leaving Nick to fend for himself from his adoring fan, Macy followed her Aunt Jane into the other room.

"Macy, what is going on? Why is a famous rock-star visiting you in the middle of the summer?"

Macy shrugged because she was still stubborn to admit Nick's true relationship with her so she said casually. "I don't know. Maybe he just wanted to visit the farmland in Pennsylvania."

"Macy Anne!" her aunt said in an identical tone like her mother's. "I know you're not telling the truth. _Do you want me to call your mother_?"

""No!" she said quickly because as much as she was angry with Nick, she didn't want him to get in trouble with her mother again. "She doesn't need to know that he's here."

Her aunt looked at her suspiciously and said in a knowing tone, "Aha! Now we're getting somewhere. So would you mind telling me what this is all about?"

"There's really nothing to tell…" Macy said again.

"Oh my goodness! You're so stubborn just like your mom!" her aunt yelled and then she warned her. "If you don't tell me then I'm going to ask him myself."

"OKAY FINE!" Macy yelled. "Nick and I …um… …were in a relationship. But that's over now because I know better than to trust a _rock-star. _He's probably going to try and ask for my forgiveness because he knows that he's guilty. _That lousy cheat_…"

"Oh, I see. So this is the boy your mom mentioned to me," Aunt Jane said. "He's pretty cute and not to mention talented and rich. _I'm impressed, Macy_."

"Aunt Jane!" Macy said appalled by how lightly she was taking the matter. Even though she and her mother shared the same facial expressions and demeanor, her aunt was much more lenient when it came to boys.

"Okay, I'm just kidding!" her aunt assured her but she was still impressed that her niece had 'game' to snatch someone as attractive as Nick Lucas. "But, honey, you need to give him a chance. I mean he came all the way here to see you. He wouldn't be trying this hard if he didn't really love you."

Macy sighed and said, "I guess you're right but it's just like Nick to get what he wants. I'm not going to give in so easily."

"Macy, let the boy talk to you. Maybe it was all a misunderstanding," her aunt pointed out.

"A misunderstanding? He chose to hide his relationship with his ex from me! He admitted it! And then there were all these pictures posted online of him and that stupid back-up dancer. And he tried to deny it!" Macy answered back. "_Some nerve he had!_ But how can you deny pictures! It was so obvious that there was something definitely going on between them."

"Well, that other girl isn't here with him right now. He came by himself to see you, my dear," her aunt reasoned with her. "Just go and speak with him."

"I don't know—

"MACY!" interrupted a familiar voice and in came Julian who entered through the back door that led to the kitchen. "Since it's raining, I thought we could have a nice day indoors watching movies. I even made chicken soup. Oh, hello Aunt Jane!"

"Hello, Julian," her aunt greeted him and the she turned towards Macy and said. "_Talk to him, Macy. It's the least you can do."_

And that was the last thing she said before she headed back into the living room leaving Julian and Macy by themselves. Because Julian was still in high spirits after the kiss they shared last night, he didn't notice anything amiss. Therefore, he went up to her and took her hands in his and said, "And I thought that today we can talk about what happened last night. I really meant what I said, Macy. I'll take care of you."

"Julian, please, I can't talk about that right now," Macy said. "Um…Nick's actually here and—

She didn't need to speak anymore because at that moment, Nick Lucas entered the kitchen with mud stains on his shirt. It was obvious that Jade had her fair share of Mr. Nick Lucas just by looking at his appearance.

"Macy, your aunt said that we can talk in here," Nick said. But then he paused when he realized that she wasn't alone.

Even though they weren't together anymore, Macy still felt guilty being seen with Julian so she quickly let go of his hands and introduced them, "Julian, this is Nick. And Nick this is Julian."

For a second, there was a rather tense pause in the room. _So this was the guy that answered her phone, _Nick thought to himself as he looked at Julian. To ease his apprehension while on tour, Nick Lucas imagined Macy's childhood best friend to be somewhat less attractive than he really was. He pictured Julian to be this overweight kid with freckles, and buck-teeth not the dashing and fit young man standing before him. A wave of jealousy overtook him but Nick knew well enough to hide any form of envy to become apparent in his outward appearance.

"It's good to meet you," Julian said first as he offered Nick his hand. "I believe we spoke on the phone before."

"Yes, we did," Nick said as he shook his hand with a strong grip. "It's good to meet you, too."

"Did you fly in today?" Julian said as he tried to strike up a conversation. Meanwhile, Macy just laid low as she watched them interact for the first time. _It was very awkward to say the least_, for her.

"I actually took the train and a bus down here," Nick said patiently. He was trying to be nice since Julian was being very welcoming but what he wanted more than anything was to have some alone time with Macy. "Anyway, Macy can we talk. It's really important."

"Fine. Let's talk," Macy said harshly. "Whatever you want to say to me you can say in front of Julian."

But Nick didn't really feel like discussing private matters in front of an audience even if it was just one other person. This was something he and Macy needed to work out. He was about to reason with her when he noticed something peculiar about her appearance. Her finger that usually bore an important symbol of their relationship was missing something really important.

"Macy, where's your ring?" Nick asked her as he tried to remain calm. _He couldn't believe she wasn't wearing it anymore. Was this really the end for them?_

"I don't know. Somewhere I forget," Macy answered him callously.

"_You lost it?"_ Nick asked her in great disbelief.

Macy was still glaring at him but before she spoke, Julian stepped in and said, "Why don't we hold on to this conversation for later on. I think I should give Nick a fresh shirt to wear. He obviously can't be taken seriously if he goes around with a muddy shirt."

Nick looked at him wide-eyed because he didn't expect him to interrupt them during their serious talk and so he said, "Um…thanks but no thanks. This is kind of important."

"Don't be silly," Julian said as he put an arm around his shoulder to steer him towards the back door. "It will only take a few minutes. I have an extra shirt for you to wear. We'll be right back, okay Macy?"

"Uh…okay…?" Macy said hesitantly. _This was definitely odd._

Once the two boys were outside and were walking towards Julian's house, he said, "You should thank me. I know Macy and if you spoke to her now it would be hopeless. She's really mad at you."

"I know that but she can't keep ignoring me. I need to save our relationship before it gets even worse," Nick told Julian.

"Well, good luck to you, then. This is going to be an uphill battle since she told me that she's already set to move on," Julian replied.

"_She said that?_" Nick said heartbroken because he really wanted to salvage what was left of their relationship.

"Yes, she said that you were her first mistake and she doesn't want to see you ever again," Julian said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"_She said I was her first mistake?_"

"Unfortunately yes she did say that, but don't worry I got your back," Julian said in an overly friendly voice. "I'll try to get her to talk to you once she calms down."

"You'll do that for me?" Nick said clearly touched. "I really appreciate that. Thanks, man."

"Yes, of course! I mean guys have to stick together. It's like the official bro code! Even though we just met each other I can tell that you and I can be good friends," Julian answered as he gave Nick a pat on the shoulder. "Girls are hard work. Believe me. I know. But if you play your cards right, she'll definitely come around."

"That's very true," Nick said. _He was starting to like Julian. _Maybe he was wrong about him after all.

"I'll talk to her after dinner," Julian offered. "So don't worry. Anyway let's get a clean shirt for you to wear but if you don't mind me asking, how the hell did you get so muddy?"

"Macy's cousin wouldn't let go of me," Nick revealed. "She kept hugging me even though she was covered in mud from head to toe. I told her that this was my only shirt but you know kids, once they grab a hold of you they never want to let go."

Julian chuckled and said, "It must be hard being so famous, huh?"

"Yes it is in a way but you just need to learn how to balance your private life with your public one. Once you get the hang of that, everything is smooth sailing," Nick answered.

"Well, hopefully, your stay here is as smooth sailing as you hope it would be," Julian replied.

"Me too and thanks for the help again," Nick said as he smiled at his new-found friend.

"No problem," Julian said happily but when he walked a little faster so that he was ahead of Nick, he said to himself. "Let's see if you're really meant to be together…_not if I can help it…_"

The two of them returned to Macy's place for dinner and Macy tried to read both of their expressions. _What did they talk about? _Because she was sure, that Nick confided in Julian about everything he wanted to tell her. But what surprised her even more was the fact that Julian was so open and friendly with Nick. She expected him to be very defensive and even protective around her especially since what happened last night but maybe she misjudged him. _He really was a good friend. _She could tell that Nick wanted to sit next to her but her little cousin, Jade, intercepted his attempts, leaving Julian the opportunity to take his place next to her instead.

"Oh Nick! I saved you a seat right next to me!" Jade called after him in delight. It was obvious that the young girl was smitten with Nick since she kept batting her eyelashes at him.

With this, Macy couldn't help but smile to herself because Jade was a tomboy just like her. But ever since Nick arrived, her girly side, which was unknown to everyone around her, suddenly came out, which was why Jade was wearing a skirt and a pink blouse to dinner. And Macy was pretty sure that her younger cousin was wearing lip-gloss since her lips were bright red and shiny. Not only were these drastic changes noticeable but Jade no longer got into her usual squabbles with her brother. When asked about this, she simply replied that she was no longer a child and she further claimed that she was mature and wise for her age, which Macy found hilarious because that was exactly the things Nick listed in his profile online as the key characteristics he looked for in a girl. Her Aunt Jane joked that Nick should come by more often since he kept the peace between her two troublesome children.

Nevertheless, no one in dinner could get much in because like Macy, Jade was born to be very talkative. Therefore, throughout dinner everyone had to listen to Jade's 'dramatic' story on how she waited on line in the pouring rain to buy JONAS' latest album. Nick smiled and thanked her for being such a devoted fan. _He really had great patience because there was so much flattery the Lucas boy could take. _But throughout dinner both Nick and Macy secretly stole glances at each other. At one point, they both looked at each other at the same time but Macy quickly looked away. Unbeknownst to her, Julian saw this all happen and jealousy overcame him. Therefore, underneath the table he held onto Macy's hand. She was surprised when she felt this but because she was still guilty about what happened last night, she quickly took her hand away from his, leaving Julian hurt because he was desperate to hold onto that special connection they had yesterday.

When dinner was finally done, Nick was ready to talk to Macy but Julian, being the perceptive person that he was, stopped him just in time.

"Whoa, Nick, where do you think you're going?" Julian asked him as he blocked his path.

"I'm going to talk to Macy," Nick answered matter-of-factly. "I'm only staying for one day and I can't miss my chance to fix things with her."

"Okay. I understand that but she's still mad at you. Allow me to calm her down. We don't want her blowing up on you more than necessary," Julian explained. "So let me talk to her first."

Nick pursed his lips because he really didn't like delaying this much-needed talk but since Julian was going out of his way to help him out, he sighed and said, "Okay, fine. But hurry up, will you?"

"Definitely," Julian said and so instead he made his way over to Macy.

"Julian!" Macy called out to him when she saw him.

"Hey, Macy, can we talk in private?" Julian asked her anticipatingly.

"Yeah, okay sure," Macy said and she led him up to her room and quickly turned to face him once her door was shut.

She thought he would mention Nick the moment they were alone since they were hanging out a lot ever since he came over, but she was surprise when Julian didn't him bring him up at first.

"_So did you get a chance to think about things_?" Julian asked her hopefully.

"What?" Macy asked him confused because she wasn't expecting this question.

"You know about our kiss? The one that _you initiated_," Julian reminded her. "I was wondering if you gave it some thought since I gave you some space…And I did get Nick out of the way for you so that you can clear your head and-

"But that's the thing, Julian, it's kind of hard thinking about that now especially since Nick's here," Macy reasoned out. _Why would he bring that up at a time like this? _But dismissing this, she questioned him even further, "What did you guys talk about? Did he say anything about me?"

Julian let out a loud sigh of frustration because he could tell that Macy was still hung up over Mr. Nick Lucas. But he wasn't going to give them a fairy tale ending so shaking his head sorrowfully he said, "Well, first of all, he said you're making it very hard for him to reconcile with you. He said that _you've been acting like a brat and even though he initially came over to win your heart back he's not sure if he wants that anymore_. He said that if anything, he wants to be friends."

"He said that…? _He said that I was acting like a brat?...and that he just wants to be friends?_" Macy said crestfallen. A tear escaped from her eye and immediately Julian embraced her tightly.

"I told him that you still love him but he doesn't believe me, especially since you've been ignoring him," Julian said as he stroked her hair gently. "And he wouldn't stop comparing you to that Gabriella girl._ He told me that at least she listens to his problems…_"

"_He c-compared me t-to G-Gabriella?"_ Macy repeated as a loud sob escaped from her mouth.

She couldn't believe this. She knew she was a little harsh with him before but she didn't think it was enough to drive him away. If anything, she wanted to punish Nick for awhile by giving him the silent treatment but she never knew it would drive him to become completely mad at her. _This wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to just teach him a lesson...for at least a week or two._

"But, Macy, please remember that I'm always going to be here for you. You don't need Nick," he assured her. "You want me to tell him to leave?"

Macy was crying silently into his shoulder.

"N-no, don't do that. I was stupid to prolong this...I was so s-selfish...He came all the way here...and I acted like such a bitch..._oh my god_..." Macy said as she began to cry even harder because she couldn't believe that Nick just wanted to be friends. "I should at least talk to him face to face. If it's over then its over, but I need to hear it from him. I should gospeak to him now…"

"No! Um…I mean I should talk to him first because he's pretty angry with you, Mace," Julian pointed out. "We don't want him to blow up in your face, especially since you're so fragile and heartbroken. It will just fuel even more anger and we don't want that to happen, now do we?"

Macy looked up at him with tears in her eyes and nodded her head solemnly.

"Okay. You're right, Ju-ju," Macy said. "Thanks for being such a good friend. I'm so glad that I have you."

"Of course, Mace. I'll do anything for you," Julian said as he gave her a comforting smile. He was about to leave but Macy called out to him.

"And Julian?"

"What is it?"

"About that kiss we had…I'll think about it…"Macy confessed as she felt a blush come across her cheeks because _Julian was really such a nice guy. _

"Thanks, Macy," he said and he went back to give her a quick kiss on the cheek before he left.

Meanwhile, Nick was standing in the foyer waiting for Julian to return. His patience was definitely wearing out especially since Jade wouldn't leave him alone. He loved his fans. He really did but there is always a time and place for everything and now wasn't a good time for him to hear about the ten-year-old girl's experience in one of his concerts.

"Julian!" he called out thankfully. "What did she say?"

"It doesn't look good," Julian said as he shook his head.

"Really? Did you tell her that I leave tomorrow morning and that I just want one chance to speak with her?" Nick asked him desperately.

"Well, she did say that she wanted to talk to you especially since you came all they way over here," Julian admitted. "She said to meet her by the sycamore tree out in the field at 9. She'll come talk to you then, okay?"

"That's great! Thanks, man," Nick said really thrilled. He checked his watched and noticed that it was twenty minutes till 9pm. "I'll wait for her there. I need some time to organize my thoughts."

"Sure, thing," Julian said happily. "I'll let her know you'll be waiting. And be careful because I think it might rain again."

He waved good-bye to him. Too bad Nick didn't see the sinister smile that crept on his face when he left because Julian definitely had something up his sleeve. He returned to Macy, who was still distraught after having found out that this could actually be the end for her and Nick. _And it was all her fault. _

"Macy, are you still upset about what I told you what Nick said?" Julian asked her as he sat next to her on her bed. He placed an arm around her shoulder to comfort her.

"What d-do you th-think?" Macy said solemnly. "_He was my first love!_ And now I realized that I was acting like such a_ jerk_. I should've returned his calls…_This is all my fault_. I didn't really want to break up with him...I probably was over-reacting after all because why would he come all the way over here for an apology? And I treated him like crap the moment I saw him..."

"No, you didn't. Trust me," Julian said as he continued to comfort her. "But I have good news for you!"

"You do?"

"Yup! I spoke to Nick and he said he'll come by your room at 9pm to speak with you," Julian said as he tried his best to mask any sign of betrayal on his part.

"_He's going to come by my room_?" Macy asked him hopefully.

"Yes, so just stay put right here and don't leave," Julian told her.

"Okay…"

The night sky grew ominous as dark clouds began to cover the moon. It was pitch black outside but Nick waited for Macy to meet him under the sycamore tree. The rustling of the leaves was the only noise he could here along with the howling of the wind. He checked his watch and it was 9:15pm. _What was taking her so long?_ But Nick didn't mind at first because he wanted to sort out his thoughts on what exactly he wanted to tell Macy. He needed to choose his words carefully if he wanted to win her back. This was the moment he was waiting for. He had only one shot to make things right between them.

Back in her room, Macy was pacing back and forth nervously. She busied herself by sorting out her clothes in the dresser. Every now and then, she glanced up at the clock. It was already 9:30pm. Where was he? _Did she get stood up? Did Nick change his mind?_ No, that didn't make sense. _Why would he come all the way over here, then?_ She swept the floor to kill time and it didn't help that the rain started up again and this time the thunderstorm grew louder and louder leading Macy to duck under her covers to hide. Even when she was little, she hated the sound of thunder and lightning. And the storm rolled on and there was still no sign of Nick. She wanted to look for him but she remembered that Julian said to stay put because he said that Nick would definitely come by. _Maybe he didn't know which one was her room? Or maybe he got distracted with Jade. _There was so many options she could choose from but despite all the excuses she could give, one thing was sure: _Nick stood her up_. She began to weep loudly. It was already past 10pm and he still didn't come. However, the thunder grew even louder and Macy was shaking under her covers. At one point the noise grew so loud, she didn't even hear the loud knock on her door.

It was growing unbearable for her and so Macy was about to go downstairs to find if anyone else was still up because she needed company but when she opened the door, there was Nick standing in the hallway completely drenched in water.

"Nick!" Macy yelled in surprise when she saw him standing there.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU STOOD ME UP!" Nick shouted at her because he couldn't believe Macy could be that cruel even if they were broken up. "I waited for you for an hour even when it started to pour and you never showed up. I came all the way here—

"I DIDN'T STAND YOU UP! YOU STOOD ME UP," Macy argued. "I was waiting here in my room for you to come because I wanted to talk to you too."

"_What?"_

"Julian said you wanted to meet me here and so I stayed in my room but I should've known better," Macy said angrily. There was another loud thunder and Macy flinched. She had an urge to hug Nick because he knew just how to comfort her during times like these but she stopped herself just in time.

"He said that? Then he's lying because he told me you wanted to talk by that sycamore tree out in the field," Nick said.

"_He's lying! Good one, Nick. I wonder who I should believe?_ The boy who's been nothing but nice to me or you, the boy who lied to me about his _girlfriend, Gabriella?"_

"Macy, stop it. You're not giving me a chance to speak!" Nick said as he now entered her room and shut the door. "How many times do I have to tell you that Gabby and I are just friends now."

"I don't believe that because how can a boy like you resist a girl like her. She has everything, Nick. Looks, talent, and fame. _She's…the p-perfect m-match for you_," Macy said quietly. She didn't want to cry now because she didn't want to appear weak but her emotions got the best of her. "_I'm…nothing compared to her…I don't deserve you…and I just got scared…_"

"Macy, don't say that—

But he was interrupted because at that moment, there was a huge flash of lightning and a tremendous thunder that rattled the house and the lights flickered until they were enshrouded in total darkness. The only light now streaming into the room was the moonlight. However, the black out didn't surprise Nick as much. The thing that did get to him was the fact that Macy was now embracing him tightly.

"N-nick…p-please don't leave me," Macy said as she looked up at him with tears streaming down her cheeks. "I know I was acting like such a brat before…b-but…it's because I was jealous…You probably hate that about me…but I can't help it, Nick…I get very possessive when it comes to you and I hate it…I try to act tough but in reality I'm weak…I know I was over-reacting and I didn't mean what I said. I don't want to be just friends…Please, Nick, take me back… Don't give up on me...I'm sorry, Nick…I really am—

She was cut off short because Nick embraced her tightly and planted a kiss on her lips.

"Shh, Macy, you don't have to apologize. I understand why you felt that way," Nick told her as he embraced her tightly. "I was the one at fault. I shouldn't have hid my relationship with Gabby from you. From now on, I'm going to tell you everything. I promise."

Macy just nodded her head eagerly as she held onto Nick even tighter because there was no other place she would rather be.

"Yes, there was a time when I dated Gabby," Nick started off saying. He knew Macy was listening by the way she was trying to control the sound of her weeping. "I was fifteen at that time and I was young and I never had experience with girls. And Joe would brag about all the girlfriends he had and I guess I felt pressured to start dating. It was really dumb because the main reason why I got with Gabby was because I felt like I was out of the loop so to speak. But I did like Gabby. She was fun and easy to talk to and she paid attention to me and I told her I liked her and then we went out for a few dates. And then she kissed me. It actually caught me off guard because it was right after one of our concerts and she just came up to me and kissed me."

"She kissed you?" Macy asked him.

"Yeah. Gabriella was the first girl that I kissed but you don't have to worry about her, Macy, because what we have is far greater than anything I had with her," Nick said as he looked at her. "You're the first girl that I love. You're the first girl that I gave my heart to. And you're the first girl that I ever made love to. Macy, I should've told you about Gabby before but I was telling you the truth when I said that I forgot about it because honestly, being with you made me forget about everything that happened before."

"Really?" Macy said happily as she wiped the tears away from her face.

"Yes, really," Nick assured her. He planted a soft kiss on her lips. "What we have is real. And even though I couldn't share my first kiss with you, you took away many of my firsts. Because I never fell this hard for any girl before. Macy, I love you and only you."

Macy smiled up at him and this time she tiptoed so that she could kiss him on the lips.

"Nick, I love you, too," Macy said. "I'm sorry for over-reacting. It's just that I hate seeing you with other girls and when I found out that you shared a past with Gabriella, I got so paranoid that there might be something going on between you two…but I knew deep down that I was just being a jealous girlfriend. What I was actually afraid of was that you would be the one to leave me…That's why I broke up with you so quickly because I knew that if you did it first, I wouldn't be able to take it."

"_Macy…"_ Nick said tenderly as he hugged her. "I don't think I can ever leave you. And believe me, for the past few days, I didn't think I could survive not hearing your voice. I was a mess, Macy. That's why I came down here to see you because I didn't want to believe that we were over…So now that everything is out in the open, _does this mean we're not broken up anymore_?"

Macy nodded her head eagerly.

"I trust you, Nick. I always have," Macy said happily. And the two of them shared a passionate kiss.

When they broke apart, Macy was giving Nick _the look._

"_Nick_," she said softly as she ran her fingers underneath his shirt. _"Sleep in my room tonight._"

"But what about your aunts?" Nick asked her because he didn't want a repeat of what happened with her mom.

"Don't worry about them," Macy said as she guided him to her bed. "They're all the way on the other side of the hallway."

And from that moment on, no words were spoken as Nick climbed on top of her and kissed her fiercely on the lips. _They were both desperate to feel each other's touch after so long._

"_Oh god... Nick, I…missed…you,"_ Macy moaned when she felt him sucking on her neck really hard. She gasped in surprised when she felt him grinding himself against her. _She wanted to feel him so badly. _

Nick couldn't control himself because he missed her so much. His hands crept underneath her shirt so that he can gently caress her. Macy was on the verge of giving herself freely to him. But fortunately, Macy knew that they shouldn't give into desire so easily. Thus, she _stepped on the brakes so to speak_.

Pushing him gently away, she whispered breathlessly, "Wait, Nick, I don't have a condom. And we agreed not to go all the way if we don't have_ protection_, remember?"

"Yeah, you're right," Nick said as he lifted himself off her body and he was about to lay down next to her when an idea popped into his head. A sly smile came across his face when he looked at Macy.

"What is it?" she asked him greatly perplexed.

"_That doesn't mean we should stop_," Nick answered simply as he gently pulled her pajama pants off.

"But Nick weren't you the one who said we shouldn't have sex if we weren't safe—

He interrupted her with a kiss on the lips and stared lovingly into her eyes and said, "_Yes, I did say that but what I want to do next doesn't require a condom. Trust me, Mace._"

"Okay," Macy said excitedly because she had no idea what he had planned.

Nick lifted her shirt off her so he could plant kisses down her body. In between kisses he said, "Since you're so set on us having each other's first whatever, I'm going to try something I never did before_. It will be both our firsts."_

Macy was breathing heavily now because Nick's lips were venturing even further. She felt him kiss her belly button and before he proceeded he removed the final piece of clothing off her body and _then she understood what Nick meant_. Because just at that moment when she laid stark naked before him, she felt Nick kiss an area of her body _that he never kissed before._

"_OHHH…MY…GOD…" _Macy moaned in ecstasy. Even though there was a storm raging on outside, she knew she was loud enough to be heard throughout the house so she grabbed a pillow and placed it against her mouth to muffle her cries of pleasure.

_Nick and Macy were definitely having a very, VERY intimate reunion._

Meanwhile, Julian was patting himself on the back for scheming something up so quickly to derail any form of reconciliation that could take place between Nick and Macy. He was chuckling to himself as he imagined Nick waiting outside in the pouring rain for Macy to come, which he knew she never will because he gave her a different story. _Nick was such an easy target,_ Julian thought to himself. It was after 10pm that Julian decided to make his move. He knew that Macy would probably be devastated that Nick bailed on her because Julian was sure that there was no way that Nick could see through his plan. He brought extra tissues with him just in case Macy needed it because he was expecting it to be a long night of him comforting her. _This will be the night when she'll realize that I'm the one for her, _Julian thought confidently.

Steadily he made his way up the stairs. The door to Macy's room was partially open, enough for him to hear Macy's voice distinctly say, "_I love you_…oh yes…I LOVE YOU…" Those were the words that Julian wanted to hear directed to him…_What was going on? _He was expecting to hear from the receiving end but instead he heard the rustling of sheets and as much as it pained for him to look, he mustered up the courage to peek inside and saw that Nick and Macy's intimate conversation was literally becoming an intimate situation. Because what Nick was doing to Macy was enough to suspect that the two of them obviously made up. _Julian's plan failed. _Even though he was disappointed, another overlying emotion overtook him. Because of what he witnessed, Julian was shaking with pure anger.

_He was absolutely green with envy because it felt as if his heart was torn out of his chest and was being stabbed repeatedly as his heart began to break._

* * *

**Closing remarks:**

That Julian is such a complex character. I think it's fitting to call him the devil's advocate (the title of the chapter) because he was basically spreading lies and counter-arguments between Nick and Macy. A _Devil's Advocate_ is actually a term used in law to denote someone who is appointed to challenge an argument by trying to attack any loop-holes or weakness that it may have. It's very fitting to call Julian that since he wants to be a lawyer. And if you don't know what Nick did to Macy at the end of the chapter then you're probably too young to be reading this. LOL. Anyway, now that Nick and Macy are back together, what will Julian do? He was confident that Macy would finally be his but he didn't expect true love to prevail. Expect MAJOR DRAMA in the next chapter.

And it frustrates me to bring this up again because I thought many of my readers are used to this but if you don't like drama then don't read any further. Please! Because the next chapter is going to be the most dramatic yet. It will also mark the end of Part 1 of this story. It's annoying when someone tells me to write 'less drama' in a story that I specifically said will contain A LOT OF DRAMA. I keep mentioning in the closing remarks to expect more DRAMA. So please stop saying less drama. I hate repeating myself especially when I state it so clearly at the end of each chapter. If you don't like drama, then read fluff. There isn't drama in there. And I did mention that Part 2 will contain significantly less drama than part 1. But like I mention before, I always thought a little bit of drama made a story interesting. I just really like writing for that genre...

But for those who can't wait for the drama to unfold, stay tuned for the next chapter. Even though, I said my other story _A Brother's Betrayal _is my darkest story yet, the next chapter can also be considered quite dark...I'm going to put a warning before the next chapter especially if some of my readers are young.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this!

Thanks. REVIEW PLEASE!

-Penelope36


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note:** Some material in this chapter can be rated-M. The content in this chapter is pretty dark, especially in one part. So read with caution. The section that can be the most disturbing, will be marked with dividers so if you don't want to read that part you can skip over it and still understand what happened. It's a short part and it's nothing graphic really. Just the idea in itself is disturbing. Okay, I hope you enjoy it. And yes, I'm prepared for all the Julian-hate after this chapter. Believe me after you read this you'll understand why. ENJOY!

THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MAJOR DRAMA. SO DON'T READ IT IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT.

* * *

**Chapter 7 Save Me from the Sycamore Tree**

The storm outside grew calmer. There wasn't anymore loud thunder and flashes of lightning, only drops of rain that can be heard pitter pattering against the bedroom window. Hours passed since Nick and Macy reconciled and the young man was sound asleep. He was so content with the fact that Macy was his again. And he was in the middle of his nightly dream when he suddenly felt a gentle stroke against his cheek.

"Macy," Nick said with his eyes still closed. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

She was facing him. It was the middle of the night and she still didn't get a wink of sleep. She was embracing him tightly because she wanted this moment to last forever.

"I don't want to waste my time with you," Macy admitted as she gently stroked his hair once more. "You leave tomorrow and I'm afraid that once I close my eyes you'll be gone."

Nick looked at Macy and smiled warmly at her. He gently placed a kiss on her lips but little did he know that such an act was enough to restore the passion that he had for her because the kiss that started off so gently steadily became even more and more aggressive. She pulled him down so that she can feel him against her body. She was still unclothed completely while Nick only wore his boxers. _It would be easy for them to do something stupid_. But this time Nick pulled away.

"We can't do that, Macy," Nick reminded her. "You should put your clothes back on because…I might not be able to control myself."

Macy gave him a smirk and said, "Fine."

He handed her the shirt that he borrowed from Julian, which was now completely dry from being drenched in the rainstorm. It was enough to cover her fully so that Nick wouldn't be tempted in any way. And for a few minutes, Macy snuggled up close to Nick, who by now was gently stroking her back. But no matter how much she tried to control herself, Macy needed to feel him so this time she kissed him passionately on the lips. She was on top of him now and Macy wasn't shy about touching his body.

"_You…don't…know…how…much…I…missed…you…Nick,"_ Macy said in between the kisses that she was giving him. She was planting kisses on his lips and traced his jaw with her lips.

"_I missed you too,"_ Nick moaned when he felt her nibbling his earlobe. _Macy was making it very hard for him to abstain from having sex._ She now moved on lower and was gently sucking his neck. And before he realized what he was doing, he was lifting her shirt off her body and Macy gasped in delight when she felt him press his hips up against hers.

"_Nick…"_ Macy whispered seductively into his ear. "_Let's just do it…I don't care if we don't use a condom."_

And Nick was about to agree but he stopped himself because he remembered his brother's words. In moments like these, he knew it was wise to think with his head than think with any other part of _his body. _

"Macy, we can't. You might get pregnant," Nick reasoned with her. "And if that happens your mom is going to kill you and then she's going to kill me, remember?"

She gave out a loud sigh of frustration because Nick had a point.

"You're right. I guess I just have to stick with this," she said and she was about to lower her head and continue leaving her mark on his neck when Nick kindly pushed her away.

"No, Macy, you …um…can't do that either."

"_WHAAAT_?" Macy said now sounding a bit hurt. "What do you mean I can't do this? Aren't you the one always giving me hickies before? What happened to you, Nick? Are you like a monk or something?"

Nick blushed and then he said sheepishly, "That's not it. It's just that I have a concert tomorrow and I really can't have suspicious marks on my body. You know how the media has this pure and wholesome image of us. If they see me with a hickey…it can…um…you know backfire."

_Crap. _It was only then that it dawned on Macy how careful she needed to be with Nick. _A lot of people, not to mention young children, looked up to him. _And so Macy sighed and got off him.

"Wow, I guess I didn't realize how much at stake your career can be in with just one little hickey," Macy said and while she thought about it, she laughed out loud when she realized something else. "Plus, I bet if you did have a hickey, everyone's going to assume that Gabby gave it to you."

Nick pursed his lips because Macy was right but he didn't really want to confirm it because he knew that Gabby was still a hot topic to talk about with her. However, Macy sensed his hesitation and embraced him even tighter.

"It's okay, Nick. I know how the media works. I myself am also guilty of spreading false rumors through my website," Macy admitted. "But it must be hard for you to hear so many lies being said about you."

"Yeah, but I try to ignore everything being said unless it affects those around me," Nick said as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "That's why I'm going to tell you everything from now on so that you don't have to worry about stupid gossip."

"Thanks, Nick," Macy said as she snuggled even closer to him. "Speaking of which, I feel like since you're going to be honest with me from now on, I have to get something off my chest."

"What is it, Macy?" Nick said as he sat up so that he can look at her. He could tell that Macy was having a hard time getting out whatever she needed to say.

She sat up, too and faced him and after taking a deep breath, she said, "I kissed Julian…"

"_YOU WHAT_?" Nick said now a bit alarmed.

"But, Nick, it wasn't like _that. _I was a mess after I broke up with you because I really didn't know what to think and then Julian came and he comforted me and I was just really upset about everything…and I kissed him…" Macy said quickly. She was afraid to look at Nick because she told him that there wasn't anything going on between them before and she knew this would make him uneasy especially since they were going to part the next day.

Nick was clenching his fist when Macy revealed this piece of information and he asked, "How did he react?"

"Well…um…he told me that he had feelings for me and—

"I KNEW IT!" Nick said loudly. "I knew by the way he was acting that something fishy was going on. And that's why he tried to separate us by telling me to go wait for you by the sycamore tree and he told you to wait in your bedroom."

But Macy couldn't believe that Julian could be that conniving, and so she said, "I don't think he would do that, Nick. He's a good guy. You probably just misheard him."

Nick looked at her skeptically and pointed out, "_How could I have misheard him?_ Sycamore tree and bedroom sound nothing alike!"

"That's true but he just probably misspoke—

"I don't know, Macy. Thinking back at it, he was probably scheming up a plan to tear us apart."

"Nick, please, don't be upset with him," Macy said. "He's going through a hard time, too. He told me that he broke up with Charlie and I guess it's taking a toll on him."

"So he's SINGLE, NOW?" Nick exclaimed. _This was definitely not good news because that meant that anything can happen once he's gone. _

"Nick, nothing is going to happen," Macy said because she could already see the worried look on his face. "I'll tell him we're back together. He'll be really happy for us. He said we were a cute couple…"

"I don't know, Macy…"

"Nick, trust me," Macy said as she kissed him tenderly on the lips but what surprised her was that the moment she connected her lips with his, Nick took her into his arms and pinned her on the bed.

"Macy…I don't like the fact that you kissed him," Nick admitted as he slowly inched his hand up her body.

"_Oh really?_" she said as excitement overcame her completely because he was now kissing down her chin and his hands were gently caressing her chest.

"Yes. And like you, I can get very, VERY _jealous…_" Nick revealed as he continued to show her body more affection. He knew he was acting very possessive but he accepted it. _He was born this way_. And Macy wasn't doing anything to stop him. In fact, the girl was welcoming and encouraging his bold touches. _It would be their second time saying 'good-bye' in the summer._

Macy gulped when she felt Nick pressing himself against her most sensitive region and _boy, did she feel it._

"Go ahead, Nick. _Show me your jealousy," _Macy said as she covered his mouth with hers. _Nothing was going to stop them now _because both of them wanted it. "_I'm yours_."

And so the two of them said good-bye to the rest of their clothing and before they did anything else, Nick assured Macy, "_I'll be careful. I promise._"

She nodded her head and answered, "_I trust you_."

Therefore, the two of them being the young lovers that they were, let their emotions guide them as they both took the risk to _be together physically and emotionally. _

_Being young and in love was proving to be a very dangerous mix. _

It was the morning after and both of her aunts were busy making a big breakfast. It was Sunday so Macy didn't need to wake up early to do chores. Her Aunt Wanda, being the devout Christian that she was, made it a rule that every Sunday would be a day of rest just like it was described in the Bible. When Macy made her way downstairs, her Aunt Jane was quick to notice a change in her niece's demeanor towards everyone especially towards Nick.

Macy helped her cook the eggs while Nick help set up the table.

"You and Nick seem to be getting along fine now," her Auntie Jane said suspiciously.

"Yeah…" Macy sighed as she remembered the events of last night. Her cheeks were blazing red.

"Oh my goodness!" her aunt exclaimed in a scandalous tone. "_I know that look._"

"What look?" Macy said quickly as she tried to disguise any trace of the _I-had-sex-with-Nick-Lucas _look off her face. But it was useless because her aunt knew just enough to suspect that something more went on between her niece and their unexpected guest.

"_Macy, where did Nick sleep last night?" _she questioned her even further.

"Um…the couch…?" Macy answered more as a question than the statement that she wanted it to be.

"_The couch, huh?_" her aunt said skeptically. "That's funny because I'm pretty sure Jacob and Jade slept on the couch last night since there was a leak in their room."

"There was?" Macy said apprehensively because there was no going around this one.

"_Did you two sleep together last night?"_ her aunt asked her with one eyebrow raised. "_And you know what I mean, young lady._"

Macy could feel her cheeks become even redder as she tried to ignore her gaze and she pitifully answered, "…No…?"

"_No?_"

"Okay, fine. We did but please don't tell my mom," Macy begged her.

Her aunt let out a loud sigh and said, "I won't but promise me that you both were responsible and safe doing _that_. Okay?"

This was definitely an awkward conversation to be having just before breakfast but Macy quickly nodded her head even though she was lying about the whole being safe part. She was thankful when Jacob came in and announced that the table was set.

Macy sat next to Nick much to the dismay of Jade who was determined to _win Nick Lucas' _heart before he left.

"So, Nick, your flight to New York leaves today?" her Aunt Jane asked him while her Aunt Wanda was looking at him with wide-eyes. _She was a really quiet lady._

"Yup, my plane leaves at 1 this afternoon," Nick answered. "I just hope I make it on time."

"On time for what?" her aunt asked him even further.

"My brothers and I have a concert tonight and I need to be on stage by 6:30 but I'm sure it will work out. The weather seemed to have cleared up nicely."

"Oh I see," her aunt replied. And just when everyone was digging into their food, the back door of the kitchen swung open and in came Julian.

"Julian!" yelled her two cousins who were accustomed to having him there at the house.

"Hey guys," he greeted them happily but the moment he saw Nick and Macy a scowl came across his face. He quickly erased it as he forced a smile to Aunt Jane and Aunt Wanda.

"My mom told me to give you guys these fresh batch of eggs," he said to them. He made sure to look at just them because he couldn't look at Macy especially after _what he saw last night in her room. _

"Oh you shouldn't have!" her aunt exclaimed.

"No worries. We had extra and we didn't want them to go to waste," he explained and then quickly added. "Well, I should be going now."

"No, you should join us for breakfast!" her aunt said quickly as she pulled up a chair for him. "We have more than enough for everyone."

"No, I can't. I have to go—

"I insist!" her aunt pressed on. "Since when do you turn down free food, Julian?"

He gave her a forced smile and said hesitantly, "Okay, fine. I'll stay for a little bit."

"Good!"

And for some reason, Macy was getting a weird vibe from him. It was as if there was an unspoken tension that existed the moment that Julian sat down. Nick must have sensed it because he held her hand underneath the table.

"So will you be visiting us again, Nick?" her Aunt Jane asked him to resume her conversation with him.

"I'll see. I'm pretty busy touring but hopefully, I can."

"That's good to hear. I know my kids would love to have you back. You don't know how relaxing it has been ever since you came here, Nick," her aunt gushed. "Now I know who to call if I ever need to break up a fight between the two of them."

"_MOM_!" Jade exclaimed because she was embarrassed that she would say that about her in front of her idol. "It's Jacob's fault most of the time. _Believe me, Nick,_ I do not partake in such childish affairs."

Everyone in the table looked at her with raised eyebrows because since when did Jade have such sophisticated vocabulary and proper grammar?

"You see what you did? I just hope this good behavior lasts even after you're gone," her Aunt Jane exclaimed.

But before Nick could answer, Julian butted in and said, "I'm sure they'll behave. They're good kids and in the end they'll have the sense to know that it's just plain stupid to idolize somebody, who in my eyes, isn't all that spectacular."

Both Nick and Macy looked at him curiously. _Did he just insult me?_ Nick thought to himself. This time it was Macy who held onto Nick's hand. She gave it a tight squeeze to tell him to let it go.

"Anyway, can someone please pass me more eggs," Macy requested to anyone who was sitting next to the plate.

"Here you go sweetie," her aunt said as she handed her the plate of scrambled eggs.

And then at that moment, Julian said tersely, "Are you sure you don't want the plate of bacon instead? I mean we all know how _fickle you can be, Macy."_

"Huh?" Macy said completely taken aback. She looked at Julian, who was now looking at her with pure anger in his eyes_._

"Is something wrong dear?" her aunt asked him.

"Nothing. It's just that I hate when a person says one thing and then takes it back the next second," he retorted. "There's no excuses for those kind of people who give you hope and then just crush it without any thought about how it can hurt another person. _Isn't that right, Macy?__"_

"Julian, what on earth are you talking about?" Macy asked him concerned because she didn't like how he was putting her on the spot in front of Nick and her relatives.

"_Stop being so naïve, Macy. You're not that innocent,"_ Julian said tersely. "_I never thought a girl like you would be that experienced."_

"Julian!" Macy exclaimed appalled. She had to interrupt him before he said anything more because she was afraid that he would disclose something that her aunts and cousins shouldn't hear.

"Hey, don't talk to her like that!" Nick said angrily because he didn't like the tone he was using on his girlfriend.

"_Oh how classic, Macy, you have your lover now to stand up for you,"_ Julian said firmly as he got up abruptly. "You know what? I had enough of this. Thanks, Aunt Jane and Aunt Wanda. But I really should be going."

He quickly turned around and left.

"JULIAN!" Macy called after him and she was about to follow him out because she wanted to get to the bottom of this but Nick's grip on her hand tightened and so she sat back down.

"What on earth got into him?" her aunt questioned her.

"I have no idea," she honestly replied.

Once breakfast was finished, Nick was packing his stuff into the duffel bag he brought with him. Macy was helping him out. But she was uncharacteristically quiet so Nick tried to strike up a conversation with her.

"And I'll call you the moment I land. Alright, Mace?"

"Yeah…"

"Don't be so sad when I'm gone. It's only going to be two more months and then we'll be together again."

"Yeah…"

"Macy?" he said anxiously and as if on cue, she answered with the same monotone 'yeah' like before. So he tried to test her to see if she was really paying attention.

"Oh and I think we should go out to the barn and have _hot steamy sex in there_ before I leave," Nick said as he leaned on her dresser and looked at her closely to observe her reaction to this obnoxious statement.

"Yeah…" Macy said in the same lackluster voice.

So Nick approached her with great concern and shook her slightly.

"Macy! You're not listening to me! What is up with you? You seem so dead," he pointed out and then he added in a cocky tone. "Don't tell me I wore you out last night?"

Macy narrowed her eyes at him and said, "_Hahaha. Very funny. _No, I was just thinking about Julian—

But when she said this, Nick pinned her against the wall and said in a hurt yet serious tone, "Why are you still thinking about him? Didn't last night mean anything to you?"

Macy smiled up at him. She needed to get used to this jealous and possessive side of Nick Lucas because it was only last night that she was first introduced to this side. _And to be honest, she was kind of turned on by it all. It made him seem manlier. _

"Nick, how many times do I have to tell you," she said in an assuring tone as she lightly kissed him on the lips. "I don't like him in that way. But don't you think Julian was acting weird this morning?"

Nick backed away from her and shrugged.

"Weird? Well yeah, he was acting like a douche…hm…but this is how it's going to be like, huh?"

"What do you mean?" she asked him quizzically.

"Just that you're going to worry about other guys when you have me," Nick said in a sad tone. "I know you're such a caring person, Mace, but it's making me uneasy knowing that I have to leave you here with _him._"

Macy bit her lip because she realized that she shouldn't have been acting like this in front of him especially now that they just got back together. The whole reason why they broke up in the first place was because _she was the one who was jealous_. Thus, she knew exactly where this uneasiness was coming from. She went up to him and gave him a hug from behind.

"Nick, you shouldn't feel threatened by him," Macy said as she tightened her embrace around him. "Because I love you and only you."

Nick needed to hear that and he was about to turn around and kiss her when the door suddenly swung open.

"Macy! Jade wanted to know if you had a spare JONAS CD for Nick to sign—er—sorry I didn't mean to bother you guys," Jacob said quickly when he registered that they were in the middle of something. When he closed the door, Macy noticed that he had a smirk on his face.

"Oh god! I hope he doesn't say anything to Jade," Macy said completely red-faced. "She's like obsessed with you."

"Don't worry, Mace," Nick said. "She's just a little kid. It's just a stupid crush if anything. She'll get over it. Besides, I think she knows that you and I are more than just friends."

Macy nodded her head but to avoid any more awkward intrusions, the two of them continued to pack in silence without anymore touching.

"Oh I forgot to return the shirt I borrowed from Julian," Nick said when he noticed the shirt hanging on the door handle.

"I'll return it for you!" Macy said eagerly because it would be her excuse to see him and question him about his odd behavior. However, once she looked at Nick's face, she should have known not to sound _too excited._

"_Macy…" _Nick said slowly as he narrowed his eyes at her. "_Why are you so eager to return his shirt for me?"_

"I…uh…it's just…" Macy stammered and then she let out a sigh because she promised to be honest with him. _They both promised each other this_. So she truthfully answered, "I just need to know why he seems so upset with me. I mean Julian has been nothing but nice to me and it just hurts to know that he is mad at something I did. I just want to talk to him. That's all."

Nick pursed his lips because he didn't like the fact that Julian could have such a big impact on his girlfriend.

"Okay fine," he said. She was almost out the door when Nick noticed a familiar object sitting on top of her dresser. "WAIT! MACY!"

"What is it?" she asked him.

He approached her and took her left hand.

"Please, don't take it off anymore," Nick said as he placed the promise ring back in its rightful place.

She looked at it and smiled.

"I promise to always wear it from now on," Macy said as she clasped her hands behind his neck and tiptoed up for a heartwarming kiss.

"Hurry back!" Nick said when he let her go.

"Okay!"

She was making the long trek to Julian's family's house which was opposite from her Aunt Wanda's farm. The sun was already shining so bright. It was a complete 180 from yesterday's weather. She was walking down the dirt road towards his house but she stopped midway when she spotted him leaning against the old sycamore tree.

"JULIAN!" Macy yelled while waving frantically at him. "JULIAN!"

But the boy ignored her and was about to leave but it was just his luck that Macy was a seasoned athlete so she quickly caught up to him to stop him from leaving.

"Julian! What is the matter with you? Why are you ignoring me?" Macy said but Julian's back was still towards her. "Here, I have the shirt that you lent Nick. He said thanks."

It happened so quickly but Julian turned around and grabbed the shirt from her hand and threw it on the ground.

"_Why would I want that_ _back_?" he said angrily. "You think I want to have the shirt Nick wore when you guys had _sex?"_

"_What_?" Macy said close to being speechless. "How d-did you know that?"

"_I can't believe you_," Julian said as he walked towards her causing Macy to back up until she was against the sycamore tree. "_How fickle can you be, Macy?_ One minute you're angry with Nick and then the next minute you're having sex with him._ I can't believe you_. And then you told me that you'd think about our kiss. WHAT A LIE! _You used me, Macy_."

"I d-didn't use you…" Macy said. She became very nervous because Julian had this angry look on his face that was scaring her.

"Yes, you did. _You kissed me that night, Macy, _and you knew how I felt about you," he said angrily as he stepped closer to her. "I spoke the truth when I said I loved you. But I should have known better than to trust you. It's just like you to use people when they are the most convenient. Once Nick was gone, you thought that it would be easy to seduce me to fulfill your needs."

"That wasn't my intention, Julian. Please, don't be mad at me—

"I always loved you. Ever since you left, I would always think about you and then this summer happened and I really felt the connection we had. And I know you felt it too, otherwise, you wouldn't have kissed me!" Julian yelled at her.

"It was a mistake…Julian…I'm sorry but I can't return your feelings—

"THAT'S COMPLETE BULLSHIT! You said yesterday that you would think about it. But what do you know? Prince Charming decided to drop by and steal you away. But what surprised me was _how easy you can be," _Julian exclaimed. "I would never have thought to pin you as a girl who would have sex right after forgiving a guy for his mistakes."

"_WHAAAT?"_

"Is that what happened last night? You tried to seem all righteous in front of Nick but once he seduced you, everything was forgiven? Are you really that type of girl?" Julian said angrily. "Because if you weren't, you would have realized that there is a much better guy out there for you."

"Julian, please stop it. You're scaring me," Macy said as she watched him come closer to her. She wanted to run but it felt like her legs were cemented on the ground.

* * *

"Or was it the other way around? Did you seduce Nick just like how you seduced me? Are we just like puppets that cater to your every need?" Julian said. "_Well, your luck ran out, Macy. Because it's my turn to use you just like how you used me."_

"_Julian, stop…please…" _

But the boy, under the heat of passion and betrayal, was no longer listening to her as his lips came crashing down against hers. Macy tried pushing him away but he grabbed her hands and pinned them against the tree so that she would stop struggling against him.

"_S-stop it, Julian…p-please...G-get off of me!_" Macy begged in desperation as she began to sob. Her body became numb when she felt him sucking on her neck. "_N-nick...help…me…"_

She knew it was useless calling out for Nick because there was no way he could hear her. And then she felt Julian's hand inching up her thigh and _he touched her there. _And much to her horror, her body began to respond when she felt his fingers touch her in an area_ that only Nick was allowed to touch_.

"_Let's see if you really are that easy,"_ Julian said under his breath and he began to remove her shirt, which was tucked into her skirt.

Macy's body turned cold. She was crying so much because she wanted to escape but her body remained frozen and she continued to weep hard.

"…_I'm sorry…Nick…"_

* * *

Back in Aunt Wanda's house, Nick was almost done packing. He hated that he had to leave so soon after successfully winning Macy back. He wanted to spend more time with her because it just felt right being with her. She always made him feel happy. However, he still couldn't believe how bold he was with Macy last night. It was his first time satisfying her like that but judging by her reactions, he seemed to be a natural doing that _sort of thing. _He laughed to himself because he never knew he could be such a Casanova. _Speaking of Macy, what was taking her so long? _The taxi was going to be there soon and he didn't want to leave without saying good-bye. So he left her bedroom in search for his girlfriend.

Meanwhile, Macy was sitting trembling on the ground. She couldn't believe Julian did _that _to her. She placed her hand on the sycamore tree in order to help her up. Her hands kept shaking and her legs felt as if they could give away at any moment. But she needed to escape from that spot because she didn't want to linger in the area where Julian assaulted her. She hurried down the dirt road towards her aunt's house. She needed to take a shower to get rid of any traces of Julian off her body but the person she wanted to hide this all from was walking down the same dirt path she was in and it was too late for her to hide because Nick was now waving at her and calling out her name.

"MACY!" Nick called out happily as he approached her. He didn't notice that she was trembling inside. "I was looking all over for you! Aren't you going to say good-bye before I leave?"

"H-hey Nick," she said in her best attempt to mask the guilt she felt inside. When he was a few feet away from her, Macy instinctively brought her hand up to her neck because she knew Julian left a mark on her.

"Macy? What's wrong?" Nick asked her when he saw her do this.

"Uh…I…just have a sore neck," Macy answered nervously.

"You want me to massage it for you?" Nick offered as he stepped closer but Macy held her other hand out to stop him.

"NO!" she said rather loudly. "It's not that b-bad. I can bear with it."

"Oh, okay," Nick said as he stared at her curiously because Macy was acting a bit weird. "Anyway, my cab is coming in a few minutes and I just wanted to say good-bye."

He spread his arms and was about to hug her when he noticed Macy recoil just before he finished his embrace.

"Macy, what's the matter—

But he couldn't finish what he wanted to say because at that moment when he was close enough to Macy, Nick smelled an all too familiar, _but definitely womanly,_ scent. It was the musky and sweaty scent that he and Macy always smelled like after they had sex. He felt the blood in his body boil with anger because he didn't touch Macy since last night so _how did she become like this?_

"_MACY," _he said slowly trying to contain the anger in his voice but it was useless because he was enraged. "_Were you with Julian just now_?"

"I…uh…you see…um…" she struggled to admit that she was attacked because she was so ashamed that she let it happen.

"_It's really funny that you can't come up with a straight answer_," Nick said but he wasn't laughing at all.

It was only now that he registered that her hair was a bit messed up and her shirt was no longer tucked into her skirt. And because he knew he was right that something definitely happened he grabbed her hand away from her neck and _there it _was—a red mark that he was known to have given Macy numerous times before but his mouth definitely wasn't near her neck the entire morning. _So how could she have gotten that?_

He tried to stay calm but all signs pointed to the fact that _Macy cheated on him_.

"_Macy, who gave you that hickey?"_ he asked her point blank. He was holding onto her hand tightly now because part of him wanted her to lie and say that it _really was an infected mosquito bite and not the hickey that it really looked like._

But because Macy knew she couldn't hide anything from Nick, she answered honestly and said weakly, "_Julian…"_

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! After all the crap you gave me for being seen with Gabriella, you were screwing your friend behind my back! _Is that why you were so eager to see him?" _Nick yelled at her furiously.

"No, Nick it's not like that," Macy said desperately. "I swear!"

She didn't want Nick to misunderstand the situation but she was so embarrassed that she let Julian have his way with her.

"_THEN WHAT IS THAT_?" Nick said pointing to her neck and because he was so mad right now, his hand went under her skirt to confirm his suspicions and much to his horror, _his hand came out damp._

"_Macy_…_why the hell are you wet?"_ he asked her icily. His body began to shake with rage. _He couldn't believe Macy had sex with Julian._ This had to be a nightmare. _It just had to be._

Macy gulped as she felt tears streaming down her eyes. She felt so ashamed that she _responded _to Julian's touch.

"_Stop crying_, _Macy, and_ ANSWER ME!" Nick said adamantly. "_Did you have sex with_ _Julian?_"

She tried to hug him because she needed him right now but Nick put his hands out and said, "_Don't touch me_. I can't believe you cheated on me after what we did last night! It's like I don't know who you are anymore!"

He turned around to leave but he felt Macy's hand on his arm.

"N-no…Nick…it wasn't like that…_he c-came on to m-me, Nick_," Macy confessed as she felt her whole being crumble into bits. She was shaking so much now. Her legs felt weak and she was about to fall on the ground but Nick caught her quick enough so that he was now holding her in his embrace.

"_What?"_ Nick said in a totally different tone.

"I'm sorry, Nick…" Macy said in between her sobs. "I can't believe I let it happen…and my body responded to him…I'm sorry, Nick. _Please forgive me…"_

"HE _ATTACKED _YOU?" Nick was screaming now. He didn't want to picture any of it but his brain was sending him images that consumed him in rage. "That son-of-a-bitch! _Where is he?"_

Nick was so furious that someone had the nerve to hurt _his Macy_. _He wanted to kill him and tear him to shreds._

"No, Nick…it was my fault," Macy said as she buried her head against his chest.

"_What are you saying Macy?"_

This was getting to be too much.

"I led him on…Nick…he thought I liked him because…when I broke up with you…I…uh…kissed him," Macy confessed in between sobs. "Then he saw us together…that night…when we had sex…and he said I used him…_I used him, Nick_…and he said he'd use me to…Please don't break up with me, Nick. Please don't. I need you…"

"Shhhhh, Macy, no, this is not your fault. You didn't lead him on. I'm not going to break up with you. Don't even think that," Nick said comfortingly as he embraced her tightly. "You don't deserve to be attacked. No one does."

Macy was sobbing loudly into his chest, and Nick felt his very being disintegrate because he can't imagine how much pain his girlfriend was in. He needed to fix this. _But how? _So many different kinds of emotion were flooding through him right now. He held onto her tightly as he tried his best to comfort his distraught girlfriend. _Why were they being tested like this? Love shouldn't be this hard…right?_

But Nick wanted to ask her something even if he didn't want to really know the answer. _He needed to know._

He cleared his throat and tried to look into her eyes and asked her very quietly, "So he r-raped you?"

Macy shook her head quickly.

Nick let out a loud sigh of relief.

"Then, if you don't mind me asking, what did he do?" Nick further questioned her calmly. He was breathing heavily now because he wasn't sure if he could take the answer to his question.

Macy was crying because she was still embarrassed that it happened but she wanted to tell Nick because she didn't want to have any secrets between them.

"He just k-kissed me and touched me _there…_"

Nick clenched his fist because _no one touches Macy but him._ He wanted to_ murder_ Julian.

"_That fuckin' son-of-a-bitch_…I'm going to teach that bastard a lesson he'll never forget," Nick said as he gritted his teeth and he was about to leave and hunt him down but Macy held onto him tightly to stop him.

"N-no, Nick, please don't make this into a bigger deal," Macy pleaded with him. "I don't want anyone else to know about this…_please_? _It's so embarrassing…"_

"But Mace—!

"NICK, PLEASE! Promise me, you won't do anything," Macy begged him because she really didn't want to prolong this any longer. She wanted to forget about what happened right away because she hated this feeling of being so broken down and violated.

Nick would do anything for Macy but right now his emotion conflicted greatly with her request to stay put. He sighed and agreed to comply with her wish but she didn't see him cross his fingers behind his back. So when Macy went back inside the house to take a shower, Nick was determined to uphold Macy's honor so he went around the back-yard and had to hike quite a bit and past the field to look for him and sure enough, he found Julian sitting on the ground deep in thought. _How can he be so calm after he took advantage of his girlfriend? _Just the sight of him consumed him once again in absolute rage.

"JULIAN!" Nick screamed as he approached him. The young lad saw who it was and stood up immediately but before he could say anything, Nick punched him hard on the jaw and he fell easily to the ground. But Nick couldn't stop himself because his anger got the best of him and so he kept hurling more punches at him because images of Julian touching Macy began to flood his mind.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER! DO YOU HEAR ME?" Nick yelled as he continued punching him with increasing force. It was like an angry beast overtook his body. "I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU EVEN LAY A FINGER ON HER AGAIN, I'LL FUCKIN' KILL YOU, YOU ASSHOLE. I'LL KILL YOU. YOU GOT THAT?"

Nick never punched anyone before so he was surprised by his own strength but he couldn't stop beating him up. He was beyond angry. He was completely livid because _how can anyone do that to Macy, let alone any defenseless girl?_ However, Julian couldn't even speak because there was so much blood he was coughing up. The young man lay motionless on the ground but Nick saw his chest was still moving up and down; he was still breathing. _That should be enough. _Nick didn't even bother waiting for his reply so he turned around and walked away because he promised Macy that he wouldn't do anything _too _drastic. He did beat him up pretty badly but he didn't kill him so it wasn't that _severe. _A little blood—_okay, maybe a lot of blood_— should be enough to teach him his lesson. He looked at his clothes and found that his once crisp and clean white shirt had red spots all over the front and his fists were covered with Julian's blood. Nick knew he would have to change before he saw Macy again. She didn't need to know what he did. _That scumbag deserved it anyway._

It was Sunday afternoon and Mr. and Mrs. Lucas were panicking that Nick still wasn't back from his little vacation. They wondered what could have possibly compelled him to take a bus all the way down to central Pennsylvania. All he left was a note that said he needed to take care of something. There was a concert that night and right now no one knew if it would push through since one third of the band was missing. It was five in the afternoon when his parents and his brothers were having a meeting in their tour bus. They were deciding if they should make an announcement to their fans that tonight's show would be cancelled but their answer came to them when the door to the bus suddenly swung open.

"NICK!" all of them yelled at once.

"Hey guys! I'm back," Nick said as he entered the bus.

"What on earth made you take off just like that!" his mother yelled at him. "You got us all worried!"

"I'm sorry, guys, for leaving just like that," Nick apologized to everyone. "It's just that I needed to take care of something."

"What on earth did you need to take care of all the way in Pennsylvania?" his dad asked him incredulously because Nick was his most sensible son, so his odd behavior to just get up and leave in the middle of their tour was very uncharacteristic of him.

"Well, you see…" Nick hesitated. "It's not really 'a something'…it's more of 'a someone'…You guys remember Macy, right?"

And the petite brunette, who was silently standing behind him completely concealed a moment ago, suddenly appeared and waved shyly to his family.

"I hope you don't mind if she stays with us for the rest of the summer," Nick announced as he put an arm around her.

* * *

**Closing Remarks:**

_Welcome aboard the JONAS tour Macy!_

This marks the end of Part 1! And now onto Part 2 with Macy and the boys on tour. Excited? You'll be happy to know that from here on, Nick and Macy will be inseparable. You won't be seeing Julian anymore. Nick did beat him up pretty badly. Did he die or live after that brutal beating? We might never know. And yes, this did have a lot of drama. But that's the most intense this story will get. Like I mentioned before it was really difficult writing that part because I had to think up of very dark dialogue that would match the evil thing that Julian did to Macy.

And shout out to **snoupy** for guessing that Julian would do something so horrible to Macy (not rape exactly but close enough).

Part 2 won't really have drama. (Hey this might actually be fluff, which for me is more difficult to write). If there is drama, it will only be between the media and Nick/Macy because now people will be talking about her sudden appearance with the boys. How will Nick react to this?

I hate that I had to write that scene between Julian and Macy but once you write a story as dramatic as this one, the story in itself takes a life of its own. And in this way, the characters start to speak to you. I hope some of you guys understand this. In a way that scene was crucial for the story to move along. Because Nick respects Macy's mom even though she doesn't respect him. Thus, something so big had to happen that he would go against Mrs. Misa and take Macy away from Martinsburg. That's why I wrote the intense drama so that it made sense that Macy would go with Nick on tour. She obviously doesn't feel safe there with Julian. I'm a big fan of character development so that's another reason why I added that scene. Things need to make sense, so for Macy to almost have gotten raped is a very good reason for her to want to escape with Nick. It was the only option to protect her.

_And now some analysis:_

In a way, you can parallel Nick and Julian's jealousy. When Nick heard that Macy kissed Julian he was jealous to the point that he desired to have Macy in the most intimate way, even if it meant risky sex. He wanted to reaffirm the love that they had for one another. But the difference is that Nick proceeded to engage in unprotected sex after Macy gave her consent. _She already told Nick that she wouldn't mind if they did it without protection. _So in this way, Nick never forced himself on her. Julian, on the other hand, was consumed in rage but driven with desire (just like Nick) when he found out that Macy and Nick got back together. The love Julian had for her was not healthy at all. If anything, he loved her in an almost possessive and obsessive manner. He remembered Macy as the girl he once knew-_a girl he loved dearly_. But when he saw that she was different from this ideal image he had of her, he snapped and _used her just like he believed that she used him. _The main difference is that Julian forced himself on her because he couldn't accept the fact that Macy "betrayed" him. In Julian's eyes, Nick was the outsider that took his precious Macy away from him. Julian lost her once before and he was afraid to lose her again. To an extent, you can say that Julian blames Nick for corrupting her. And in a derange way, he thought that being intimate with her was the only way to prove his love just like Nick did that night he saw them have sex.

Like I mentioned in the story, _being young and in love can be a very dangerous mix._

That's a pretty long analysis but I would love to hear your opinion on this chapter. This is what being a psychology minor does to you! You just have to analyze everyone's motive! LOL. Yes, I expect to hear all the Julian bashing but what will interest me more is if some of you guys analyze his motives behind his actions in this chapter. Maybe some of you can play _devil's advocate_ and defend Julian. _Maybe that is asking too much because there's really no excuse to sexually assault someone. _But, nevertheless, that would be interesting to read. And if any of you have really insightful comments, you may get a shout-out.

SO REVIEW! PLEASE! FEEL FREE TO EXPRESS YOUR THOUGHTS! I LOVE READING THEM!

-Penelope36


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 Fix You**

Everyone was rushing through sound-check due to the fact that no one knew when Nick would return from his unexpected detour to Pennsylvania during the weekend. It was their last show in Madison Square Garden. The boys were getting hooked up to their mikes backstage. The tension caused by the sour mood of the youngest band-member for the past couple of days was uplifted ever since his return and everyone speculated it was due to the arrival of the newest addition of the JONAS tour family- a pretty brunette girl. No one, except the Lucas family, knew who she was but what they did know was that she had to be _someone really special to Nick_ because the two of them were inseparable.

"Macy, you can watch the concert from backstage with my parents and Frankie," Nick informed her. "Is that alright with you?"

She nodded her head. And Nick gave her a big hug to show her that he loved her. He hated PDA but a hug can be seen as a neutral form of affection. It was enough to show others that they were close because _Nick Lucas doesn't just hug anyone_. And such a hug was also enough to speculate that the pretty brunette girl was something more to him. Even though he didn't like PDA, he wanted to make sure that everyone knew that Macy wasn't just _anyone_ to him. _She was solely his and judging by how long he hugged her, it was clear to all the guys on tour that they better not make a move on her._

"Nick! Get your butt up there on stage! You're holding us up!" yelled Big Man.

"JUST GIVE ME A SEC!" Nick yelled back and then he turned to look at Macy with a concerned look on his face.

"Macy, are you okay? You're really quiet," Nick pointed out worriedly.

"What? No…I'm fine…It's nothing," Macy assured him but to be honest, she was still shaken up by _the incident_. "Just do your thing. I'll be here watching."

"Okay," Nick said apprehensively because he could tell that something was bothering her. "If you need anything, just tell me. You know that I'll do anything for you."

"Thanks. But I'm really fine, just go Nick! You're holding rehearsals up!" Macy answered and to show him that he shouldn't worry, she gave him her best smile. "I'm fine. Really. Don't worry about me. You don't want to disappoint your fans."

"Are you sure?"

"YES! Now, go! Don't make me drag you out there," Macy said jokingly.

"Then I'll see you in a bit," Nick said as he embraced her one more time. "I love you, Mace."

"I love you, too," she answered. The moment he parted from her, she could hear the screams of fan-girls once he joined his brothers on stage.

She stood next to his family as they watched from backstage.

"How's everyone doing today?" Nick asked the crowd.

There were more screams from the fans. And from where she was standing, Macy could see many signs and cameras flashing as the boys ran through their set-list. Time and time again, Nick would glance over at her to give her a comforting smile, which Macy gladly returned.

"Macy! Oh Macy!" Frankie called. But the brunette girl didn't hear him because the music was too loud to hear anything clearly. Because of this, he gently grabbed her wrist to get her attention.

Macy, who was watching the boys play their music, flinched the moment she felt someone grab her wrist. Immediately images of Julian appeared in her head. _She could remember his steel grip on her when he restrained her from fighting back._

"Get off of me!" Macy yelled without realizing who it actually was. The memory of Julian holding her against her will was haunting her, the moment she felt someone grab her wrist. The touch alone was enough to bring back disturbing memories from the traumatizing event that happened earlier that day.

Frankie, who never heard Macy raise her voice, was caught off guard and he immediately apologized, "Sorry to scare you, Macy! I was just wondering if you wanted to get some refreshments."

"Oh, sorry, about that, Frankie. You just startled me…I-um-…sorry about that," Macy said sheepishly. _Get a grip, Macy. He's not here._

"Are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost," Frankie pointed out.

"Oh…uh…it's just that it's been a long trip from Pennsylvania…I'm just tired that's all," Macy lied.

"Well, do you want something to eat?" the young boy repeated.

"N-no thanks. I'm fine. But do you know where the bathroom is?" Macy asked him politely.

"Just go around the back and it's the second door to your left," Frankie told her.

"Okay. Thanks."

Her heart was still racing. _I need to be strong, _she said to herself. _I can't let him get to me._

But the moment she locked herself in the bathroom, the memory of the assault was as clear as day.

_You used me…_

_You're so fickle, Macy…_

_Let's see how easy you really are…_

Macy wanted to scream from all the pain she felt. Her wrists were still red with the imprint of Julian holding her against the sycamore tree.

_How could you, Julian? I though you were my friend, _Macy thought as she began to sob. _I thought you were my friend…_

She looked at her reflection in the mirror and Frankie was right. She was as pale as a ghost. And then she noticed a different scar from the attack. The hickey on her neck was another horrible reminder that Julian violated her body. She felt so ashamed. _Why didn't she try harder to run away? Why did she freeze up? Why did her body respond to his touch? Was she really that easy?_

Macy was crying even louder now because Nick didn't know that hickey on her neck wasn't the only one Julian gave her. She was afraid to unbutton her shirt because she didn't want to see the rest of them. _She felt so unclean. _Rushing to the sink she turned it on and grabbed a bunch of napkins to wet them. And she began to aggressively clean the hickey off her neck.

"Why won't you come off!" she yelled as she rubbed it even harder. It didn't help that the surrounding skin was now becoming a pinkish hue. "Dammit! Please, go away!"

But it was useless because the stubborn mark became even redder because of the pressure she was applying to it. And because she knew that it was impossible to be free from the memory of the assault, Macy slumped to the floor and began to cry to herself. _She felt so broken and used. _

Meanwhile, the boys wrapped up their sound-check session. The concert was now minutes away and Nick was being attended to because his microphone malfunctioned during the rehearsals. Tech-guys were fixing the problem as quick as they can but the youngest member of the band was impatiently tapping his foot.

"Here! Can I just take it off?" Nick asked them politely as he handed them the mike. "I think it's better if you fix it without me."

The moment he was free from the tech guys, Nick searched frantically for the one face that he wanted to see before he went on stage. _Where is she?_ He went to his dressing room but she wasn't there. He went to the refreshment stand but she wasn't there either. He checked the lounge area but she was nowhere to be found.

"Mom! Did you see Macy?" he asked her worriedly. "I can't find her."

"Macy? She isn't in the lounge area?"

"No!"

"Hm…She was standing by us when you guys were on stage but when you guys finished I didn't see her after," his mother confessed. "I saw her talking to Frankie though. You should ask him where she is. Maybe he knows."

"Okay, thanks, mom," Nick said as he quickly kissed her on the cheek. He ran the other way to the room where he knew Frankie often played video games during their concerts.

"FRANKIE!" he yelled as he ran down the hallway.

"Oh hey Nick. Guess what? I reached level forty in this new game Kevin got me. It was so cool I destroyed one hundred zombies with the laser—

"Yeah, that's great, Frankie, but do you know where Macy is?" Nick asked him anxiously.

"Macy? Last time I talked to her she said that she had to use the bathroom. She might still be there but that was a while back," he replied.

"Okay, thanks, bro."

And so Nick ran even further down the hallway.

"Macy, are you in there?" Nick called from the outside as he gently knocked on the bathroom door, which was locked.

_Crap. _The brunette girl was sitting on the floor completely a mess. The moment she heard Nick she needed to wipe the tears off her face and gather herself together. The last thing she wanted to do was to worry Nick. She didn't need to be more of a burden to him than she already was. _Come on, Macy, get your act together._

"Oh hey, Nick, I was just freshening up!" Macy called back to him as she washed her face with cold water to bring herself back to reality. _She didn't want to worry Nick anymore. She needed to be the supportive girlfriend. No more problems, Mace. Pull yourself together._

"Well...um... are you almost done?" Nick asked her politely. "Because I really want to see you before I go on stage."

"Y-yeah, just give me a few seconds," she replied. She combed her hair so that it now draped down enough to cover that pesky hickey on her neck. Even though Nick saw it from before, it still bothered her that she was marred by Julian. It was like a constant reminder of the evil thing that he did to her. When she deemed her appearance was worthy enough to face Nick, Macy opened the door and immediately Nick gave her a hug but he pulled her back inside the bathroom and shut the door. He needed privacy for what he wanted to do next. And before Macy could say anything else, Nick took her face in his hands and placed a passionate kiss on her lips. It was their first kiss that they shared after Julian took advantage of her and so Macy embraced him tightly so that their kiss could deepen. But midway through their kiss, images of Julian forcefully kissing her passed through her thoughts and it disturbed her so much that she abruptly broke away from Nick before he ended it.

This startled the boy greatly and so in a very alarmed voice he asked, "Macy, are you okay? Did I do something wrong?"

"N-no, you d-didn't do anything wrong," Macy assured him. "It's just that…um…I d-don't want to distract you from your concert. You should r-really head out now. I c-can hear your fans cheering…"

But Nick wasn't paying attention to her because he knew something wasn't right.

"Macy, you're shaking," Nick noticed as he grabbed her hand in which once again Macy quickly yanked away from his. "Macy! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!"

"You haven't been acting like yourself since you got here," Nick said worriedly and then he added uneasily because he didn't like bringing _him up_. "Is it about what happened earlier with Jul—

"Please, don't bring that up," Macy said loudly. "It's just that I need to get used to being here. Yeah! That's it. I mean I haven't seen you perform in awhile so I'm just nervous. But I know you and your brothers will be great! I just wish I had my camera with me so I can videotape you—

"Macy, whatever is really bothering you, you can tell me," Nick comforted her because he could tell that she wasn't being very honest with him. "What is it, Macy? I want to help you."

She looked into his eyes and saw complete sincerity and love in them. _They were entirely different from the look Julian had when he almost raped her. _Macy wanted to yell out in pain because she still couldn't believe that he was capable of doing that to her. _Macy, stop thinking about it. You're here with Nick now. You're safe, _she thought to herself. But it didn't change the fact that she was violated.

"Mace, what is it?" Nick repeated with an even more concerned look on his face.

When Macy looked at him one more time, she couldn't bring herself to tell him that she was being tormented with the memory of Julian's attack every time someone touched her. And what she hated most of all was the fact that even though she tried to fight it, her body responded to his touch. _Was she really that easy?_ However, she couldn't bring herself to say this all to Nick, especially since he was set to perform soon. _She couldn't be that selfish. _He shouldn't worry about her. She was fine. _She was absolutely fine._

"It's just that I hope my mom doesn't drag me back home once she finds out that I left Martinsburg to be with you," Macy lied. _It was a believable white lie._

"Oh, I see," Nick said because he actually believed this reason. "Don't worry, Mace. I'm not going to hand you over that easily even if it is your mom."

Macy smiled brightly up at him.

"Thanks, Nick. I'm really happy that I'm here with you," she answered as she hugged him tightly.

"Me too," he answered as he rested his head on top of hers.

"FIVE MINUTES GUYS! FIVE MINUTES!" yelled Mr. Lucas. "NICK, WHERE ARE YOU?"

"_Crap_. I have to go," Nick said as he reluctantly let go off his girlfriend.

"You'll be great," Macy said while giving him a quick peck on the lips. "Don't forget to play 'Your Biggest Fan'. That's my favorite."

"Of course! I'll play it just for you," Nick replied as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"NICK YOU BETTER GET OUT HERE THIS INSTANT!" his dad yelled even louder.

And with that, Nick quickly opened the door and joined his brothers. Macy followed him and with the rest of the JONAS tour family she joined them in prayer before they went on stage. It was a custom for the Lucas family to do that before each concert. Everyone was holding hands as Mr. Lucas led them into prayer. When he finished, Macy felt Nick give her hand a tight squeeze before heading out.

The moment JONAS took to the stage there was a deafening roar from the masses of fans who were screaming out their adoration for the three Lucas boys. Flashes of cameras and bright signs could be seen throughout the arena. And once the music started to play, Macy's troubled thoughts began to disappear as she concentrated on their performance.

"Hey, Macy!" Frankie yelled extra loudly as he stood next to her. "How are you enjoying it so far?"

"Hi, Frankie!" Macy said extra politely because she still felt bad for giving him a scare from before. "Yeah, I'm having so much fun. I love watching the boys perform. It's actually my first time watching from backstage. So it's different."

"That's nice," Frankie said. He felt a blush coming across his cheeks because he could feel his crush on her return. "Anyway…I…uh…made you a sandwich since you d-didn't get to eat before."

"Awww. How sweet of you! Thanks, Frankie!" Macy said as she took the sandwich from him. She ruffled his hair a bit to show her appreciation.

"No, p-problem," Frankie said shyly and because he was becoming as red as a tomato, he quickly ran away.

_Such a sweet kid,_ Macy thought to himself. She took a bite out of the turkey sandwich that he gave her and continued watching Kevin, Joe, and Nick do their thing. From where she was standing, she could see that the boys were glistening with sweat. In between songs, the boys would take breaks to drink a glass of water. But that wasn't enough to cool themselves down. Soon, all three of them chucked off their upper, outer layers so that they were now performing in their undershirts. Macy couldn't help but laugh at the reaction of the crowd because the cat-calls from the over-zealous fan girls grew louder when the boys decided to strip their jackets and plaid shirts off. There was ten minutes left in the concert and that was when Nick decided to dedicate a song to Macy. Of course, he didn't mention her name to the crowd.

"The next song is special to me. I wrote it during my summer in L.A. for a very special person in my life," Nick started off to say. "This person has been with me through thick and thin. It's a very personal song. It's called 'Your Biggest Fan'. I hope you guys like it."

Just before he picked up his guitar, Nick pretended to take a sip of water but he really looked over at Macy, who was watching from her spot backstage and gave her a heart-warming smile. Macy mouthed '_I love you_,' to him and because he couldn't mouth the same words back just in case someone saw him, he simply nodded his head.

_I never thought I would  
But I did it  
I never thought I could  
I did it like that  
I did it like this  
I did like everybody knows  
That we  
Got something real, shawty  
I know what I feel  
So shout it like that  
Shout it like this  
Listen up everybody knows  
But you  
Here it goes_

_'cause I never really noticed,  
took awhile for me to see.  
playing back the moments,  
now I'm starting to believe  
that you could be at the show & know everyone  
but it's you that makes me sing.  
and I may not know where we are but I know who I am,  
baby, I'm your biggest fan.  
(ooooh)_

_every time you smile for me,  
it takes me awhile to pull myself back  
'cause you're all that  
And I just had to let you know,  
that I'm... screaming out in the crowd for you.  
I can't be too loud,cause I don't care, I let 'em all stare.  
I just want everyone to know the truth,  
it's only you._

_I never really noticed,  
took awhile for me to see. (awhile for me to see)  
I'm playing back the moments,  
now I'm starting to believe (starting to believe)  
that you could be at the show & know everyone  
but it's you that makes me sing.  
and I may not know where we are but I know who I am,  
baby, I'm your biggest fan._

_showed up & you looked so classy.  
it made me think twice 'bout the way I was acting.  
you were there from the start of it all.  
like a dream came to life, now I'm left in awe.  
stars shine but your light is the brightest,  
love flies but your love is the highest.  
you're so sweet that it drives me crazy,  
a summer like no other, you my L.A. baby._

_no, I never really noticed,  
took awhile for me to see. (awhile for me to see)  
I'm playing back the moments,  
And I'm starting to believe (starting to believe)  
that you could be at the show & know everyone  
but it's you that makes me sing.  
and I may not know where we are but I know who I am,  
baby, I'm your biggest fan.  
(ooooh)  
baby, I'm your biggest fan.  
(ooooh)  
'cause you can be at the show & know everyone  
but it's you that makes me sing.  
and I may not know where we are but I know who I am,  
baby, I'm your biggest fan.  
_

And the crowd cheered even louder as he continued to sing the rest of the song. Nick Lucas sang his heart out because he felt so at ease to know that Macy was with him by his side. When he finished the song, he looked over to where she was standing and saw that she had tears in her eyes. He had an urge to run to her and comfort her but she gave him a signal to show that she was fine. _She was just so touched. _

"YOU GUYS WERE AWESOME!" Kevin yelled to the audience as the concert came to an end. "WE LOVE YOU NEW YORK!"

"THANKS FOR HAVING US!" Joe yelled.

The three of them took center stage to wave good-bye to the crowd. And while they were bowing, one really excited and devout fan-girl yelled, "I LOVE YOU JOE! PLEASE MARRY ME! I WANT TO HAVE YOUR BABIES!"

And when Joe looked over to see who it was, he was hit with a small object that bounced off his shoulder. When the three of them looked over at what the object was, both Nick and Kevin burst out laughing because the flying projectile that hit the middle Lucas brother was none other than a _wrapped condom. _Joe just shook his head with a smirk on his face. _Some of their fans can be quite obnoxious. _

When the curtains fell, Joe picked it up and tossed it to Nick.

"After your performance of '_Your Biggest Fan'_, I think you're going to need that tonight now that Macy's here," Joe said while snickering. And with that, Kevin was busy laughing his head off.

"Shut up, Joe," Nick said curtly as he felt a blush come across his cheeks but when they weren't looking, he put the condom in his pocket _just in case. _

"GREAT JOB GUYS!" their mother yelled happily as she hugged each and every one of her boys.

"I think that was your best performance yet!" their dad congratulated them as Joe, Kevin, and Nick headed backstage.

"You guys were awesome," Macy said as she quickly hugged Kevin, Joe, and Nick. But the last Lucas boy didn't let go off her that easily. And jokingly, she said, "Nick, as much as I love you, I don't want your stinky sweat getting on my clothes."

"Haha. Very funny, Macy," Nick said sarcastically as he finally let go off her. "But did you enjoy the concert, especially the end?"

"I loved it," she replied and as much as she wanted to kiss him, she had to refrain because she didn't want to attract any attention.

"I'm glad. Well, just wait here for a bit," Nick told her. "I need to shower and change and then we can get dinner. Sounds good?"

"Yup, sounds good," Macy said. "I'll wait here."

And so Nick hurried to his dressing room. He was about to close the door when he saw a familiar face in the hallway.

"GABBY!" he called out to her. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Uh…okay sure," the back-up dancer said apprehensively because the last time she had a conversation with Nick, it left her in tears.

She was standing in his dressing room not knowing what to expect.

"I'm sorry for blowing up on you before," he apologized. "I know you didn't mean to say those things in your interview."

"No, Nick, it's okay. I was dumb to even talk to the Celebrity Brat. I just hope you and your girlfriend are okay," Gabriella replied. "Although, judging by your new 'friend' you brought back from your little trip, I think it's safe to say that you guys are back on?"

Nick smiled and said, "Yeah. And about my trip to Pennsylvania, thanks for buying me the train ticket to go there."

"How did you know it was me?"

"Oh, come on, Gab, who else writes with a neon pink pen and dots their 'i's' with obnoxious looking hearts," Nick pointed out.

"They're not obnoxious looking! They're cute!" she argued.

"Well, thanks anyway. But how did you know Macy was in Pennsylvania?"

"_Who do you think told me?"_ Gabriella asked him.

"Kevin?"

"Yup. That boy can never keep a secret," she said while laughing.

"That's true. Friends again?" Nick asked her as a peace offering.

"Of course! Let's hug it out and pretend this fight never happened," she said and with that she and Nick shared one of their rare hugs but just at that moment, the door to his room flew open.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt," said Macy who not only looked shocked but hurt at the same time when she discovered Nick and Gabriella were sharing a _moment...hugging_. A wave of insecurity washed over her as she immediately turned around to leave.

Nick could already sense what she was thinking and quickly opened the door.

"MACY!" he said as he pulled her back. "I know what it looked like but it's not like that I swear. I was just thanking Gabby because she was the one who bought me the train ticket so that I can go see you."

"She did?"

"Yeah," Nick answered. "I was just hugging her to show her my thanks. Believe me, Macy. There's nothing going on."

She looked into his eyes and because they've been together for awhile, she knew when he was lying but that wasn't the case now. _He was genuinely telling the truth._

"Okay. I believe you," she said.

At that moment, Gabby approached them and said earnestly, "I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you guys."

"N-no. Don't apologize. I was just over-reacting," Macy answered sheepishly.

"Well, don't worry. I know my place," she assured her. "Anyway, you must be Macy. I'm Gabby."

"Hi. It's nice to meet you," Macy said as she gave her a small smile. She was still embarrassed about over-reacting from a minute ago.

_"_Nice to finally meet you," Gabriella greeted her and then she turned towards Nick and nudged his shoulder and added, "_But_ _wow, Nick, your girlfriend is really pretty."_

"I know," Nick said as he put an arm around the blushing brunette girl.

"Thanks," Macy replied while Nick pulled her closer to him. "And thank you for bringing him to me. I really appreciate that."

"Of course, but I have a feeling that Nick would've gone to see you even without my help," Gabriella replied. "And again I'm really sorry for all the drama I caused you guys."

"Don't mention it," Macy assured her because she was getting a good vibe about her. _She seemed really friendly and genuine. _

"If there's anything I can do to make it up to you guys, just let me know."

"_Gabby—_

"No, really, Nick, I don't want to be the bad guy here. And, Macy, trust me; I'm not trying to be competition or anything like that. I don't even like Nick anymore. Besides, there's another guy I have my sights on."

"Really? Who?" Nick asked her curiously.

"Nope, I can't tell you. This is going to be just between us girls, right Macy?"

Macy smiled at her and said, "Right."

"Anyway, since you just arrived, you can sleep in my room tonight. We can be roomies!"

"Thanks, Gabriella!"

"No problemo. And please call me Gabby. Gabriella sounds too formal."

"Oh okay. Thanks, Gabby."

"Well, then I'll leave you two lovebirds alone for now. See you guys at the after-party!" she said as she waved good-bye to them.

When she was gone, she turned towards Nick, and said, "Sorry for over-reacting. Gabby seems like a really nice girl."

"Yeah, she is. I told you she's cool," Nick said as he gave Macy another tight squeeze.

"Oh and here's your shirt. You forgot it on stage."

"Thanks," he said as he took it from her. But he paused for a second because when he saw that the coast was clear, he gave her a quick peck on the lips. And the two of them stood in each other's embrace for a bit longer before Nick got ready. Then, they joined the rest of the gang for a late dinner.

The after party was loud as everyone was enjoying each other's company. Macy sat with the Lucas' family.

"Glad to have you on tour with us, Mace!" Kevin said. "You should have seen Nick before you came. He was so lost without you!"

"_Kevin, shut up."_

"Aww. Don't be embarrassed, lil bro," Joe now piped in. "Yeah, Mace, he was like this lost little puppy who would always wait by his phone for your call."

"_Be quiet, Joseph," _Nick said tersely because he didn't want Macy to think that he was weak without her.

"Boys, stop teasing your brother," their mother interjected.

"But, mom , this is a once in a lifetime event!" Kevin protested.

By now, Macy was giggling because it was really sweet that Nick missed her that much. She grabbed his hand from under the table and gave it a tight squeeze to show that there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

"Now with you on tour, we know Nick is going to be on his good behavior," Joe revealed as he ignored Nick's piercing glare.

"Good behavior?" Macy repeated perplexed.

"Yeah. I don't know if you have seen it yet but Nick throws a hissy-fit every time we steal his socks—

"OKAY! Changing subjects!" Nick interrupted him loudly because Joe was about to tell an embarrassing story about him in front of his girlfriend. "Anyway, dad, when do we leave for New Jersey?"

"Tomorrow morning. So you all better be up by 8am! Because we need to stay on schedule," their father announced.

"Macy, you can stay with Gabby tonight in her hotel room. She's one of the back-up dancers," their mother added.

"Oh okay. I actually met her. She seems really nice," Macy replied. "And thank you once again for letting me stay with you guys."

"Of course, dear," Mrs. Lucas replied. "Your mother is okay with it, right?"

"Er…yeah, she is," Macy lied.

"Great! And I have to agree with my sons. When you weren't here, Nick wasn't the nicest person to be with. He was really cranky with everyone but now that you're with us he's like a completely different person and—

"MOM!" Nick interrupted loudly as he felt himself blushing from ear to ear. _He couldn't believe his own mother was also set to embarrass him in front of Macy._

And so she and the Lucas' had a pleasant dinner talking about tour and other stuff. It was a nice change of pace. At one point, Mr. Lucas brought up his cousin, who recently graduated from law school. And just the mention of that triggered images of Julian, who was also aspiring to become a lawyer. She must have tensed up because at that moment, Nick looked at her curiously.

"Macy, are you okay? Your hand just turned really cold," Nick pointed out because he was still holding her hand from underneath the table.

"I'm f-fine," Macy assured him but the truth was that Julian's words were once again ringing through her ears.

_You really are that easy…_

_Your luck ran out, Macy…_

_It's my turn to use you…_

She wanted to scream but she caught herself just before she caused a ruckus.

"Macy, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I think I just need to lay down. I'm pretty tired," Macy said as she faked a yawn.

"You can stay in my room for a bit if you want," Nick offered. "I'll go with you."

"No!" she answered abruptly and she noticed that Nick looked hurt by this sudden outburst. "I mean…I just…want to take a shower and call it a night."

"I'll keep you company—

"No, Nick, just stay here with everyone. I need some time by myself," Macy said.

He lowered his voice so that no one could hear them and said, "Macy, is this about what happened today with Jul—

"Nick, _please don't say his name,_" she said a bit harshly. "I don't want to think about that right now. I told you I'm fine, Nick. Okay? Please, just let me be."

"But just know that I'm here, Macy, if you need anything. I'm in room 2012."

"Okay thanks. And please don't worry about me," she said and then she excused herself from the table and headed to the hotel.

This was not good. Everything was reminding her of the attack. She wanted to get it out of her head but no matter how many times she tried, the memory in itself kept haunting her. She turned on the shower and listened to the water streaming down. Usually that noise calmed her down but its therapeutic effect wasn't helping her at all. She began to undress and as much as she didn't want to look in the mirror, something compelled her to do so. _And there they were._ She felt so ashamed. Not only did Julian leave a mark on her neck, but there were three additional hickies all over her body: _one on her collar bone, another one near her left breast and another one lower down her chest_.

_How could he have done this to her?_ She told him to stop but he just kept going. _He wouldn't stop..._ Macy went in the shower determined to _clean herself._ She took the sponge and began scrubbing all the marks away

"Why won't you come off!" Macy yelled frustratingly. "Come off. DAMMIT!"

She scrubbed harder and harder but of course, the hickies remained in place. It was like they were taunting her by keeping their permanent place in her body. Her skin became very red especially around Julian's marks. If anything her efforts to remove them had the opposite effect by making them more conspicuous. And because she felt so violated, Macy broke down and cried as the water from the shower-head beat down on her. _This was an all time low for Macy Misa. She felt so helpless. _An hour must have passed when she finally had the courage to get up and dried herself.

"Hey, Macy, are you okay?" asked Gabby who by now was already changed into her pajamas and ready for bed. "You were in there for awhile."

"Oh, I-uh- like taking long showers," Macy lied. "I'm sorry that I took so long."

"No, not at all," Gabby said. She noticed that the girl looked a bit distraught. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Y-yeah…I'm fine," Macy said quickly as she gave her a bright smile to disguise her true emotion. "But thanks again for letting me stay with you."

"Don't mention it," Gabby informed her. "I normally don't like having roommates because I'm afraid that they'll have some weird quirks that I need getting used to, but for some reason, I can trust you. I mean you're Nick's girlfriend so I assume you're like the most perfect girl out there, if he fell in love with you."

"I wouldn't say that," Macy said quietly. _She was far from perfect._

"Oh stop being modest! Anyway, I really hope that there are no hard feelings between us," Gabby said.

"No, not at all," Macy assured her.

"Okay cool!" Gabby said happily. "Well, I guess we should go to sleep if we have to wake up by 7:30 tomorrow."

"Yeah, good-night," Macy said as she turned off the lights. She went to her bed to get a good night's rest. But it was hopeless because she kept tossing and turning. And when she did go to sleep, she was once again haunted by a nightmare:

"_Julian…please…stop this," she pleaded with him. "Please…don't do this…"_

"_You know you want this," he answered back as he began kissing down her chest. "You think Nick is the only guy that can satisfy you?"_

"_Please let me go…I'm begging you to stop…"_

"_You're begging me to stop?" Julian said incredulously. "Stop lying to yourself, Macy. Look you're already this wet."_

_She wanted to scream._

Macy immediately woke up and sat up in a cold sweat. The nightmare left her gasping for air because it took her back to reality. And the dream itself was terrifying but what was more disturbing was that it actually happened. _She couldn't escape the attack._ Macy knew she was stronger than this. She needed to get better. _But how?_

It was 11pm and Nick Lucas was still neatly packing his clothes into his suitcase before he went to bed. It was just like Nick to make sure everything was folded neatly into his bag. _He was a stickler for organization._ He put his last pair of socks in his suitcase when he heard a faint knock on his door.

Thinking it was his older brother, Nick yelled angrily, "Kevin, how many times do I have to tell you, I don't have your teddy bear!"

But when he opened the door, his expression softened as he took in his unexpected guest and said, "Macy! Why are you still up?"

"I-uh- couldn't sleep," Macy said honestly as she entered his room.

Nick smiled at her thoughtfully while he quietly closed the door behind her. He could tell that Macy was nervous about something because she kept pacing back and forth while looking at the floor.

To lighten the mood, he teased her, "What is it, Mace? _Did you come over for a good-night kiss?_"

"_Not exactly,"_ Macy confessed solemnly and at that moment she went over to him and broke down. "N-nick... _thank you for saving me…"_

"_Macy…"_ he said comfortingly as he embraced her. She was crying now against his chest. "_Shh…Macy, stop crying. _I'm here. I'll take care of you. Don't worry."

But the tears came streaming down her cheeks because she still felt so violated and broken.

"_I know... It's just that if you d-didn't take me away I d-don't know what else he would have d-done to me...Nick... I can't stop thinking about it_," she confessed in between sobs. "Even when I try to escape from the pain, it just comes back to haunt me. And they won't come off, Nick. _They won't come off…"_

"Shh, Macy, it's going to be okay. I'll help you through this," Nick comforted her as he let her sit on his bed. "What won't come off, Mace?"

"This..._and..._" she replied scornfully as she lifted her hair to show the hickey on her neck. She paused before showing the rest to Nick because she knew that he would get angry.

He clenched his fist because he didn't want to be reminded of what Julian did to her. But he needed to put his anger aside because he noticed Macy's hesitation.

"Macy, you said '_they_'. That means there are more than one…? Where else did he-um- kiss you?" he asked her nervously. He had to hold his breath because _exactly how much of Macy did Julian violate?_

The tears were silently flowing down her cheeks as she slowly began to unbutton her pajama top, Nick helped her out of it and _then he saw the three additional marks—the one on her collar bone and the two near her chest. _He now regretted not leaving Julian dead on the ground.

_"He…d-did this all to…you?" _Nick asked her quietly as his mouth now became dry.

And Macy nodded her head in embarrassment and added quickly, "But, Nick, believe me. I tried to get away but he wouldn't let go…Nick…_ I begged him to stop_…But he wouldn't stop…"

She was crying even louder and immediately, the Nick cradled her in his arms. He can't imagine what Macy was going through. And it pained him so much to see Macy so hurt and fragile.

There was a moment of silence, except for the sound of Macy sobbing. He whispered comforting words into her ear and gently stroked her hair.

"_And…every time…I look in the mirror…all I can see are those m-marks…and I can't stop thinking about it…Nick…I feel so b-broken…"_

"Macy…you'll be okay now. I'm here to protect you," Nick assured her as he embraced her even tighter. "Just know that I'll do anything for you, Macy, because you mean the whole world to me."

"Then please help me escape from this nightmare," Macy requested. "I want to erase this feeling from my body…please, Nick, I need you…_Help me_..."

And for a moment, Nick panicked because he was never put in this situation before and he didn't know what to do but when he looked into her eyes, he could see through her soul. The pain and hopelessness was apparent in her face. _Nick could feel his heart breaking into two. _He wanted to go back to Martinsburg and finish Julian off but he knew it would be stupid to kill him because his life was not enough to fix the pain his girlfriend was in.

And then an idea popped into his head.

Macy was surprised when Nick abruptly kissed her on the lips. Even though she was shocked at first, she needed him and so she pulled him down towards her until she was laying on her back. When they broke apart she looked up at him and noticed that he had a determined look on his face.

"What is it, Nick?"

Nick gently stroked her cheek and tenderly replied, "_I'm going to erase those marks from your body so that you won't have to remember the ugliness that happened_."

"How are you going to do that?" she asked him curiously.

"Well…" Nick started off saying as he slowly placed kisses down her jaw. "I'm going to replace all his marks with mine. So that the next time you look at them, it will be me you'll be thinking of instead of that asshole."

Macy smiled at him while nodding her head for him to continue. Thus, after that moment, she felt him sucking hard on her neck on the exact spot where Julian attacked her. When he covered the old mark with a fresh new hickey, he kissed down her body and gently unhooked her bra so that he can cover the rest of his marks with his own. _It was like he was symbolically claiming Macy as his again. And slowly Julian's touch was beginning to vanish._

In the middle of covering the last hickey with his lips, images of Julian kissing Macy's body flooded his thoughts and the Lucas boy began to suck even harder causing the brunette girl to yell in surprise. He pulled her closer to him to the point that she was now sitting up while his lips were still connected to her skin. He needed to turn that mark into his. _And then he felt it—her tears. _He let go off her immediately and looked into her eyes and saw that she was still weeping.

"Macy, oh my god! Did I hurt you?" Nick asked her scared that he caused her any harm. _He knew he got a bit aggressive but he could never dream of hurting Macy in any way._

But Macy shook her head quickly and said, "N-no… you didn't hurt me...and I love you so much for doing this…but I just can't help but feel so broken because _he touched me_…and I don't want any guy _touching me like that but you_._ I'm yours and only yours. _Please, remember that…and I hate the fact that my body responded to him but I promise you, Nick, _I didn't want any of it_…but he said that I was lying because why would I become _like that…__Nick, I swear I didn't want it_…I only want you…_Oh god…I feel like such a slut..."_

"No, Macy, you're nothing like that," Nick said as he embraced her one more time. "You didn't do anything to deserve this. I'm going to help you get through this. Trust me. And don't believe anything that scumbag said. He's just trying to mess with you. I'm here now, Macy. I'll do anything for you. I love you."

"Thank you, Nick. I really needed to hear that," Macy said as her tears began to subside. She loved being with him. _Nick was her everything. _Being in his arms made her feel so safe inside. _He was truly her guardian angel._

And for a few minutes the two of them laid in each other's embrace. Because she was still in a vulnerable state, Nick wasn't planning on doing anything further with her.

"Mace, you can sleep in my room tonight," Nick told her as he got up to turn off the lights.

And he was about to join her under the covers but Macy faced him and said sheepishly, "_Nick…we can continue if you want…_"

"No, it's alright. I think we should just call it a night," Nick replied lovingly because he didn't want to take advantage of her especially since she was still emotionally distressed.

However, she cleared her throat and insisted, "No, I want to…"

"But Macy—

"_Please, Nick, help me forget…"_ she pleaded with him because she wanted to feel the warmth of his body to erase the coldness she still felt.

Pulling him down towards her, Macy helped him out of his clothes and the contact of naked flesh was more than enough to fuel the desire and passion that they both had for one another.

Before things started to really heat up, Nick paused and asked her one more time, "Are you sure you want to do this, Macy?"

She nodded her head firmly and so Nick kissed her tenderly on her lips as he touched every part of her body.

_And that night, Nick Lucas helped Macy Misa forget…_

* * *

**Closing Remarks:**

So this was a pretty serious chapter. I don't think the future chapters would be as serious as this one but I felt like this was necessary because I don't think Macy would be 'all better and good to go' after the whole Julian incident. And yes, after all their intimate moments together, Nick and Macy were actually safe during their _night together_ (remember that thing Joe gave Nick after the concert?). Anyway, the title of this chapter is called _Fix You_, named after the Coldplay song of the same name. (_FYI I'm a big Coldplay fan_). And I thought the song was fitting for this chapter. I actually listened to it while writing the last scene with Nick and Macy. Yes, music helps me think of plot ideas. Furthermore, I hope you guys realize that Gabriella is not going to cause any big drama between Nick and Macy. As much as I love drama, I can't stand to have two villains in one story. So Gabby will actually be a friend to Macy, which is good because she needs a female companion since Stella is in summer school in FIT. And because I read a lot of your comments from before, it's safe to say that Macy will NOT become pregnant (I can't put her through another huge ordeal)_._ I know I promised to finish this story by the end of winter break but I have a feeling that this might take longer to write. Not only because I'm still trying to map out the story line but I have to admit I am getting a bit distracted because I'm tempted to start writing my new story. But I know I have to refrain because I want to get this done first. I know if I start a new story now I'll be more involved in writing that one. (For those curious, check out my profile to read a brief synopsis about the new story.)

AND FOR ANYONE WHO DIDN'T WATCH JONAS LA, 'YOUR BIGGEST FAN' IS A SONG THAT NICK SANG TO MACY ON THE SHOW. I DO NOT OWN NOR DID I WRITE THAT SONG.

PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! THANKS! :-)

Penelope36


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 Hoping for the Best**

Nick's alarm must have rung five times but both he and Macy were knocked out after_ spending_ _their night together. _It didn't occur to him that the time for them to leave was drawing near because his dad was keeping a tight schedule so that they could make it to New Jersey for their next show. There was a loud knock on the door and at first Nick tried to ignore it by placing his pillow over his head. But the knocking grew louder and louder.

"Go away!" Nick yelled without realizing who it could be.

"_NICHOLAS! YOU ANSWER THIS DOOR THIS INSTANT!" _yelled his mother in a tone that clearly showed that there were no arguments.

Quickly he leapt out of his bed and put on some pants and his undershirt. He needed to look presentable so that his mother wouldn't suspect _anything._

"Mom! G-good morning!" Nick said brightly to disguise his apprehension. "I must have overslept. Can you just give me thirty minutes and I'll be down in a bit?"

"That's not why I'm here, _Nicholas," _his mother said sternly as she tried to enter his room but immediately her son put his arm up to block her path.

"You can't come in! My…uh…room is a mess," Nick said nervously.

His mom was giving him a suspicious look and said, "Macy's mom called me this morning saying that Macy isn't picking up her phone. So I went to check on her and Gabby said she hasn't seen her all morning."

"Oh?" Nick tried to fake surprise. "Uh…I wonder where she could be?"

But his mother kept staring him down and continued, "So you're saying that she's not here with you?"

"N-nope," he lied. He could feel a cold sweat coming across his forehead but he hoped to God that his mother didn't notice.

"Then if she _isn't here,_ _you wouldn't mind me looking around?"_ his mother argued.

"Uh…"

But before he could answer, his mom pried his arm away from blocking her path and Nick was about to confess the truth but when she went to check, he was surprised that she didn't reprimand him for having his girlfriend there, laying on his bed _naked_. There would have been no doubt what the two of them _did _last night. So Nick followed her and he was also shocked because Macy was no longer sleeping on his bed. In fact, she was nowhere to be found.

"Hm…I guess I was wrong," his mother said as she looked at Nick one more time.

"I-uh- told you she wasn't here…" Nick lied while looking at the floor because he hated lying to his mom. However, he noticed Macy's bra was on the floor. Thus he quickly kicked it under the bed before his mother saw it.

"Well, when you do see her tell her that she needs to call her mom because apparently she lied about telling her mom that she was with you," his mom pointed out. "And you know me and Maria are close. I don't want her to think that we went behind her back to have her daughter come on tour with us. Nick, you didn't know anything about this, did you?"

"Um…no, not really," Nick lied again. "Macy told me she was having problems at home but she didn't tell me anything like that."

"Well, she did and I just want her to talk to her mom," his mother continued and she was about to leave when she turned around one more time to face her son. "And, Nick, now that Macy is here, she's my responsibility. Do you understand me, _young man_?"

"_Yes, mom."_

"So that means no funny business, okay?" his mother scolded him. "Macy is a good girl and I know you care about her. But you better not do anything to her that her mother and I won't be proud of. _Do I make myself clear?"_

"I understand…" Nick said a bit uncomfortably because it's been a while since he and Macy had been doing _things that their mothers won't be proud of…_

"Good. I'm glad we had this talk," his mother said. "Anyway, you better be downstairs in fifteen minutes before your father throws a fit."

And when she left, Nick quickly shut the door and whispered loudly, "_Macy! _Where are you?"

The petite brunette dragged herself out from under his bed.

"That was a _close call,_" Macy said as she began putting her clothes back on.

"Yes, that was. I thought we were going to get in so much trouble," he replied as he passed her the rest of her clothes so that she was decent. "Good job hiding underneath the bed."

"Don't sweat it," Macy assured him as she placed a quick peck on his cheek. "If there's one noise that can wake me up in the morning, it would be the angry voice of Sandy Lucas. No offense, Nick, but your mom is pretty scary when she's mad."

"_Oh I know_," Nick answered as he helped her hook her bra on her back . "Anyway, Macy, my mom's right though. You need to talk to your mom."

_"I don't want to talk to her,_" she answered stubbornly as she put her shirt on.

"I know you don't want to, but she needs to know that you're here and that you're okay," Nick said.

"She's going to make me go back," Macy argued.

"Then tell her what happened—

"NO! I told you, Nick, I don't want anyone to know not even my mom…" Macy said quietly. "It's so…humiliating. Plus, my mom probably won't believe me."

"I don't think that's true," Nick argued with her. "She knows that you won't make something that big up. Your mom will definitely understand."

"NO SHE WON'T, NICK!" Macy said angrily as she looked him in the eyes. "You don't understand. My mom and Julian's mom are best friends. _They were college buddies. _If anyone wanted me and Julian to get together more than anything it would be her. _That's why she sent me to Martinsburg. _She didn't want me to help my aunt. She wanted me to start dating Julian and forget about you. That's so like my mom to have hidden agendas. I only realized now that was probably the whole reason why she made me go to Pennsylvania… _But look what happened…_"

Nick noticed her tearing up so he embraced her as he did his best to comfort her.

"Okay, Macy," Nick said softly. "I don't want to force you to do something you don't want to do. But I'm afraid that the more you ignore her, the more she's going be angry with you and I know you hate fighting with your mom."

"I know…" she answered quietly. "Can I just text her that I'm here?"

"_Macy…" _Nick said in a mildly reprimanding tone.

"Okay, fine I'll tell her that I'm here with you but that's it."

"Good," Nick said as he kissed her on the forehead. "And...um...Macy, are you better now? I mean did –um- _last night_ help?"

She smiled at him. Then placed a gentle kiss on his lips and said, "Yes, it did. Thank you very much, Nick."

After that moment, Macy snuck out of his room without getting noticed and headed back to the room she shared with Gabby. Her alibi for her disappearance was that she needed to have a morning walk to get some fresh air. No one suspected anything but she did notice Mrs. Lucas keeping a watchful eye on her and Nick so they had to be on their _best behavior._

It was the first time that Macy rode on the JONAS tour bus so it was inevitable that she would revert back to her old obsessive fan-girl behavior.

"Wow! I can't believe you can fit a big screen TV in here!" Macy exclaimed as she made her way through their lounging area on the bus. "It's so spacious! OOH! And there must be your bunks! I always wanted to lay in one of these."

"Well, you can sleep in my bunk tonight," Nick offered.

"Um, bro, I don't think that's a good idea. None of us want to be near you guys when you do your_ thing_," Kevin teased them. Both Nick and Macy turned a dark shade of red.

"Thing? What thing are they going to do?" Frankie asked them curiously.

The three of them forgot that their littlest brother was with them and after giving Kevin a vicious glare, Nick said, "Kevin's just being stupid. What I meant to say was that Macy can have my bunk while I'll sleep on the couch."

"_That's what I hope you meant!"_ their mother said as she now appeared on the other end. "Kevin! Your dad wants to talk to you about some promotional stuff. And Nick, have you seen Joe?"

"Yeah, he's up front. I think he's on the phone with Stella," he answered.

"Well, tell him that I want to speak with him!" his mother yelled back.

"Okay," Nick said as he reverted his attention back to Macy. "So, Macy, are you okay sleeping here?"

"Yeah thanks! It's more than enough," Macy said as she sat on his bunk. "Although I really wish I had my camera. Your fans are upset that I haven't been updating the site in a while and this would be really good footage to put up. It can be called _Life on Tour with JONAS. _God knows that I know more than the Celebrity Brat when it comes to everything about you guys. Hmph! Then I'll be the most reliable source out there. _I'll show her, that little red-headed fiend._"

"If you want, you can use my camera, Macy!" Frankie offered her sweetly. Nick narrowed his eyes at him. _It seemed as if his brother's crush on the pretty brunette girl definitely returned._

"Aww, Frankie, I can't take your camera," Macy answered him politely. "But how sweet of you to offer!"

"No, I insist. Anything for you, Macy," the littlest Lucas brother said clearly smitten. "I'm not going to use it. In fact, I really don't know how to use it that well. Maybe when you get the hang of it, you can teach me!"

This time Nick gave Frankie a scathing glare because Frankie was an electronic whiz at such a young age. He knew how to use his digital camera in less than thirty minutes. In fact, he was in the process of mastering the difficult art of_ claymation_. But of course, Macy knew nothing about this.

"Oh okay then, I'll take you up on your offer. Thanks Frankie! And I'll be more than happy to teach you how to use it. You really are such a sweetheart," Macy said as she placed a quick kiss on his forehead. "I'm so excited to start video-taping. And don't worry, I'll take good care of it. And to show you my thanks you can have the first web-interview on my site."

"Th-thanks, _Macy_," answered Frankie, who by now was blushing profusely because he was still recovering from the kiss she gave him. "I…uh…gotta go."

Nick and Macy looked after him as he sped away from them.

"He's such a sweet boy," Macy said admiringly.

"You know you just made him the _happiest boy_ in the world," Nick pointed out a bit miffed.

"What are you talking about?" she asked him.

"I mean isn't it obvious that Frankie has this colossal crush on you? He was just in the process of getting over you and look what you did!" Nick cried out unbelievingly.

"_What did I do?"_

"You flattered him and gave him a kiss," Nick retorted.

"_Nick…"_Macy said in an amused voice as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Don't tell me you're jealous of an 8-year-old boy, who happens to be your_ brother_?"

"I'm not jealous," Nick scoffed at the idea and then added. "I'm just saying that you shouldn't give him false hope. He's at a very impressionable age when anything can leave him scarred for life!"

"_I can leave him scarred for life!" _Macy repeated incredulously and said. "_Oh, Nick you are SO jealous. _What do you want me to do then? Be mean to Frankie?"

"No, I'm just saying don't kiss him so freely. It can send him the wrong message. You can-um- punch him on the arm instead and say thanks," Nick explained. "He's a boy. It will toughen him up."

"Punch him in the arm? Like this?" Macy said as she gave Nick a good punch on his arm.

"Ow! Yeah like that but not that hard. You don't want to bruise the boy. _And, Macy, you don't have to punch me in the arm_," he retorted. "You can _kiss me_ if you want to show your thanks."

"So you're saying there's a double standard when it comes to you and Frankie?"

"Exactly," Nick said as he now embraced her and started getting _very touchy feely with his girlfriend. _"_Because you already left a very good impression on me, Macy."_

The two of them shared a rather _passionate kiss_ and things could have easily gotten out of hand if it wasn't for Macy who stopped him the moment she felt his hand creep underneath her shirt.

"Nick, we can't do that! Especially _with everyone around,"_ Macy whispered. "Besides, we don't want to do anything _our mothers wouldn't be proud of_."

"So you heard that…"

"Yeah, and we need to be careful especially with your whole family living in such tight quarters," Macy said quietly because she didn't want to feel the wrath of Mrs. Lucas breathing down her neck.

Thus, Nick and Macy joined Frankie in the lounge room as the bus made its way to New Jersey, their home town.

It was mid-day and by now all four Lucas boys were busy having a heated video-game battle. Macy laughed to herself because it was nice to see the boys sharing some quality bonding time, which was quite intense. While they were having their fun, Macy went on Nick's lap-top and spent the rest of the trip searching through the web. Because she really had nothing to search for, she decided to pay a visit to the Celebrity Brat's page. And she was met with yet another picture, or in this case a mash-up, of Nick and Gabby. The article was entitled, _"Is Nick Gabby's Biggest Fan?_"

"UNBELIEVABLE!" Macy said loudly causing all the Lucas boys to look at her curiously.

"What is it, Macy?" Nick asked her as he rushed to her side.

"Look at this! She's just fueling more lies!" Macy cried out. By now, all of them were crowding around her. "I really wanna punch her out."

"Macy, don't let her stuff get to you," Nick said as he gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze. "You know that song is about you."

"I know that. It's just that the whole world now thinks it's about Gabby…" she said scornfully.

Nick was about to say something when Kevin interrupted them, "Wait! Scroll down for a second. I think the Celebrity Brat has more incriminating news about Joe."

"What?" Joe said as he shoved his way near the computer. And right there on the screen was a picture of Joe and Stella on an obvious date. There were about ten shots and each one clearly confirmed that Stella Malone and Joe Lucas were indeed a couple because the last shot, even though it was quite dark showed the two lovebirds sharing a kiss. "_Crap."_

"There's no denying it anymore, bro," Kevin pointed out as he put a comforting arm around his shoulder.

"Just say that the pictures were photo-shopped," Nick suggested.

Joe was in deep thought because he hated letting the public eye get into his personal affairs especially if it involved someone he truly loved.

"I need to talk to Stella," was all he said and once again, he disappeared to have a private conversation with his girlfriend.

"Wow! The Celebrity Brat may get her info wrong sometimes but it's scary how accurate she can be," Kevin said while shaking his head. "Thank God Anya lives in a different country and a different continent!"

Kevin returned to playing video games with Frankie but Nick could tell that Macy was still bothered.

"I think Joe should just come out with his relationship with Stella," Macy finally said.

"What? Are you nuts!" Nick answered. "The last thing he wants is to have someone like the Celebrity Brat stalking his every move. I say Joe should _deny everything_."

"But this could be good for them. I mean if they're going to last, Stella needs to realize that Joe is a rock-star and people are always going to talk about him."

"So what you're saying is that instead of respecting their privacy they should come clean and let the public into their romance?"

"Well..._yeah_. It has to happen one day when they-I don't know- get married," Macy pointed out.

Nick pursed his lips as he listened to what she had to say and sighed. _Because was this a hint for what she wanted him to do as well?_

"Say that Joe is the type of guy that really values privacy. And he hates people talking about him. Wouldn't it be better to keep things hidden, especially for Stella, since she will be dragged into the spotlight unwillingly?" Nick asked her.

Macy paused before she answered this question.

"I mean it's going to be hard on her at first but like I said before it needs to happen one day, whether Stella likes it or not, she's going to need to share this part of Joe's life if they want to work out," Macy explained. She looked at Nick who seemed to be in deep contemplation. "Nick, are you okay?"

"Huh?" he said still deep in thought about what Macy was saying because he wondered if everything she said about Stella applied to herself as well.

"You seem like you're lost in thought," Macy pointed out while peering closely at him. "What are you thinking about?"

But before he could answer, his mom announced that they were stopping for some lunch. They made a quick stop at a rest stop with a small picnic area. Mrs. Lucas, Frankie, and Macy went to order the food while the boys waited in the bus to avoid any fans or paparazzi, who may be lurking around.

"So did you talk to Stella?" Nick asked Joe as they waited for them to come back.

"Yeah and I was surprised that she wasn't too upset about it," he replied.

"Really?" Nick asked surprised.

"Yeah, she actually thought it was funny how everyone is making it such a big deal," Joe said. "I guess it might be time to come clean and tell the world about Stella Malone."

"But aren't you scared about what it can do to your relationship? I mean it could put a strain on what you guys have now that the public will be breathing down your necks."

"That's true but I think we're stronger than that," Joe said simply.

Their conversation would have continued if it wasn't for Kevin, who was anxiously waiting for the food to arrive, yelled out that their mom, Frankie, and Macy were back.

"OOOH MCDONALD'S!" Kevin yelled as he delved into the bag for his double-quarter pounder with cheese.

Nick went for his chicken strips and he was about to take his seat next to Macy, who was sitting at the edge of the bench but he was surprised to find Frankie in his spot.

"Frankie, move," Nick ordered impatiently.

"Sorry, Nick, I got here first," Frankie taunted him as he reveled in the fact that Nick was now fuming with anger. "And like you always said, whoever gets there first has dibs."

"_Frankie, you better move if you know what's good for you," _Nick said through gritted teeth.

"Nick, don't be mean to him," Macy said as she took a bite of her chicken sandwich. "He does have a point. Besides, Frankie, was in the middle of telling me what was happening in the latest issue of the _Avengers_. "

And to show Nick that she listened to what he had to say, she gave the young boy a friendly punch on the arm. Nick narrowed his eyes at both of them and so, he sat all the way on the other end sitting next to his mom and dad.

But the moment they went back to their bus, Nick threatened to burn Frankie's comic books if he dared to interrupt his movie night he planned on having with Macy_ alone. _Thus, the young boy was stuck playing his Nintendo DS in his bunk bed while Kevin video-chatted with Anya on his computer. And Joe was taking a nap.

"_Nick, stop,"_ Macy warned as she tried to move away from her _very affectionate_ boyfriend who was trying to kiss her neck. "_Your parents might walk in."_

"_They're already sleeping_," Nick whispered as he successfully got her lips. Macy was very familiar with this kiss and she knew very well _what usually came after._

"_Nick, we can't_," Macy said reluctantly because she was really tempted to _continue. "We might get caught. Let's just watch the movie."_

And this time he got off of her and let out a loud sigh, "Macy, I told you they're already sleeping. There's nothing to worry about."

"Um, are you forgetting something?" Macy said slowly. "How about your brothers? What if Frankie walks in on us while we're…you know…_doing it._ We don't want to scar him for life, remember?"

_She made a good point_. He gave out a loud sigh of frustration, "You're right. Let's just watch the movie. But come here."

He opened his arms so that she could snuggle up against him. And for a while, they took comfort in each other's embrace. But after a few minutes, the movie that they chose to watch was a real bore, so throwing caution to the wind, Macy turned to Nick and gave in to temptation by kissing him roughly on the lips.

_"Macy…er…I…thought…we…weren't going…to do…that_," Nick managed to say in between the kisses his girlfriend were placing on his lips.

"_I know what I said but the movie's pretty lame,"_ Macy said as she unbuttoned his shirt. _"And I never said we couldn't make out."_

Nick laughed and said, "_Oooh, you sneaky little vixen_."

And for a good ten minutes the two of them went at it, placing kiss after kiss on each other's lips while they were wrapped tightly around each other's bodies. If anyone were to walk in on them at that moment, it would have been very hard to distinguish that that there were two bodies and not one because Nick and Macy were tightly entwined with each other.

"OOH!" Nick said when he felt a vibration on his pelvis. "Macy-um- I think your phone is vibrating."

"I'll get it later," Macy said as she pulled his head down for another kiss but he stopped her.

"Macy, you should get it," Nick said. "I mean it's ten at night, so it might be important."

"No, really, it's okay," Macy replied. "It can go to voicemail and—HEY GIVE THAT BACK NICK!"

But the boy was quick to get her phone out from her front pocket and he got it just in time to notice that the caller id read _mom. _

"Mace, it's your mom," Nick said as he now sat on the couch with her. "You should call her back and talk to her."

"I'll call her tomorrow."

But Nick was busy looking at her phone and noticed that she had been ignoring all her calls.

"Macy! You missed _57 of her calls!"_ Nick pointed out. "You can't keep ignoring her. You have to talk to her."

"But I don't want her to force me to go back…" Macy said as she now sat up and buttoned up her shirt because the mood for doing anything else was dead.

"Then don't go back. Just tell her that you're here with me and my parents are okay with it. That's all."

"But, Nick, your mom knows my mom. What if she tells her that we…um…had sex…? You're mom is going to definitely send me back," she whispered after she made sure no one was eavesdropping on them.

This was one thing Nick hoped Mrs. Misa would keep quiet about but he said confidently, "If that's the case, then I'll take care of my mom. Don't worry. It might be hard at first but I know how to get through her. Besides I'm her favorite so she can't stay mad at me forever."

Macy shook her head and joked, "You're so full of it, Nick. Sometimes your cockiness never ceases to amaze me."

"I'm not cocky. I'm just being honest," Nick chimed in. "But please call her back, Macy. I hate that you and your mom are fighting because of me. I really don't want to come in between you guys because I know you hate fighting with your mom."

This time Macy let out a loud sigh of defeat and conceded, "Okay, fine. But, Nick, would you mind giving me some privacy? I want to talk to her alone."

"Sure, of course," he replied as he got up. "I'll be in the kitchen."

"Okay."

She looked at her phone wondering if it would ring again but it lay silent on her lap. Taking a deep breath, she dialed her mom's number. It rang only two times before she heard her mom, who did not give her any chance to speak.

"MACY ANNE MISA! WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!" her mother yelled through the phone. The brunette girl had to keep her cell phone at arm's length just so she won't become deaf. "TO TAKE OFF JUST LIKE THAT WITHOUT GIVING WORD TO ANYONE? HOW IRRESPONSIBLE CAN YOU BE? IT'S LIKE I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO YOU ARE ANYMORE BECAUSE THE DAUGHTER I RAISED WOULDN'T BEHAVE SO STUPIDLY. "

"Mom, I know you're upset. And you're right it was dumb of me to just get up and leave but I called Aunt Jane to tell her that I was fine. It's just that I chose to leave but I'm safe now—

"Don't beat around the bush, young lady," her mother said angrily. "_I know that Nick came to visit you in Martinsburg."_

"Oh, you found out about that…well, you see—

"I can't believe this! Are you now the type of girl who would do anything to be with her boyfriend even if it meant leaving your aunts and cousins who's done nothing but be nice to you?" her mother questioned her. "What kind of gratitude is that? They've been nothing but accommodating and you just abandon them like that. And then I called Sandy and thank goodness she told me you were safe and sound. I was worried sick! You weren't even answering your phone! I called you at least fifty times! _Don't tell me Nick told you not to pick up._ Because I swear if this boy is brainwashing you—

"STOP IT MOM. Nick was the one who told me I needed to call you," Macy explained as she did her best to control her frustration because she hated it when her mom bashed on Nick. "He has done nothing wrong. In fact, it's because of him that I'm all better now."

"What are you talking about being all better? You were never sick."

Macy hesitated because she really didn't want to tell her mom the details of want went down between her and Julian but her mom was really pushing her buttons.

"It wasn't a sickness, mom…You see…Nick…helped me with a –um- situation I had with Julian…" Macy said hesitantly. She really didn't want to expand on this subject.

"Situation with Julian? What on earth are you talking about?"

"M-mom…he did something _very bad_…I didn't feel safe there…I had to leave…" Macy said as she felt chills run through her body because she didn't feel comfortable talking about this.

There was a moment of silence and Macy took this a sign that her mother was trying to process what she said with the little hints that she gave her.

But boy, was she surprised when her mom said next, "Are you telling me the whole reason you left is because Julian did something wrong? _How can you lie like that especially under the circumstances—_

"_Are you calling me a liar?"_ Macy said incredulously.

"This wouldn't be the first time you lied to my face, _Missy_," her mother argued. "Didn't you lie to me before about having sex with that boy? And now you're accusing Julian for harming you? I'm not dumb, Macy. I know why you left."

"_I'm tell you the TRUTH! What are you talking about, mom? And that boy's name is Nick. It's really not hard to remember."_

"Well, then tell me why the moment you and Nick left Julian was found bleeding on the ground unconscious?"

"_What?"_

"Yes, Julian was found by your aunt and it looked like he was beaten up really badly. He's in the hospital, Macy, in a coma."

_"WHAT?_"

"The doctor said he's not sure when he's going to wake up but by the time he does, we're going to get to the bottom of this. I'm not dumb, Macy. If your boyfriend has something to do with this, you shouldn't protect him. This is a serious matter and—

"_I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU, MOM! YOU'RE SAYING THAT I'M LYING? THEN WHAT BULLSHIT ARE YOU SAYING? BECAUSE THE LAST TIME I SAW JULIAN HE WAS FINE. BELIEVE ME. HE WASN'T BLEEDING ON THE GROUND UNCONCIOUS. THIS IS JUST PROBABLY SOME PLOY OF YOURS TO GET ME TO COME HOME BUT_ –

"Macy, you listen to me," her mother said sternly. "You are blinded by this love you have for this boy. But trust me, if he's capable of doing that to Julian, a boy I know who can never harm a fly, then I advise you to get out of this relationship quick. I don't want to see you getting in the middle of this because you can't cover for Nick anymore. This is a serious matter and he could—

"No, mom, stop this. I seriously cannot take this anymore. Why are you always pinning Nick as the bad guy? He isn't! In fact if you listen to what I'm trying to tell you, then you'll see that Nick is the good guy and it's actually Julian who's the bad one—

"_How classy, Macy, to blame the guy fighting for his life!_ Tell me, Macy, does Nick have any bruises on him? I'm guessing he doesn't. Then the evidence speaks for itself who's the bad guy here and—

"SHUT UP! Nick didn't do anything to Julian. You're the one making up lies. I'm trying to be nice here. I went to Martinsburg just like you wanted me to but this? No, I cannot listen to this because you're accusing Nick of something he didn't do. I don't know how Julian got like that _if that's even the truth. __But what I do know is that this conversation is over._"

_"Macy, is that how you talk to your mother? You better watch your tone._"

"Watch my tone? What about yours? You've been nothing but mean and nasty to me the whole time. You know what mom? Don't bother calling me anymore because I'm not going to pick up and if you call anyone else, don't think I won't hesitate to get a _restraining order._"

"Macy—

"GOOD-BYE!" she turned off her phone and threw it across the room. Tears were now forming in her eyes and as if on cue, Nick walked in.

"Macy, are you okay?" Nick said as he rushed towards her and embraced her tightly.

"I c-can't b-believe her," Macy said in between her sobs. "I tried telling her b-but she wouldn't listen."

"_What?_" Nick said in disbelief because he didn't think her mom would ever doubt her when she claimed that she was almost raped.

"Yeah…well…I d-didn't really go into specifics," Macy admitted when she turned to look at him. "I tried telling her…But get this! She was quick to blame you again, Nick."

"Me?"

"Yeah! She made up this obnoxious lie saying that Julian is in the hospital because someone beat him up! Can you believe that? Some nerve my mom has to make believe someone's life was in danger just for the sake of me coming back," Macy cried out in disbelief. "That was low even for her."

_Silence. _Nick could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up as he loosened his embrace around Macy. This alarmed the girl so she peered up closely at him.

"Nick are you okay? Did you hear what I just said? My mom lied about Julian. _She even blamed you for beating him up._ She said that you were the bad guy and Julian was the good guy," Macy repeated what she said but when she looked up at Nick, she was now the one who moved away from him and stared at him suspiciously. "_Nick…my mom was lying right? Because there is no way that Julian could have been left unconscious on the ground after someone beat him up, RIGHT? Please tell me you didn't do anything."_

"Well…um…you see…I—

"_NICK!" _Macy said in a loud whisper because she didn't want to wake up anyone who may be sleeping. "_I told you not to do anything. OH MY GOD. You can get in so much trouble—_

"Macy, I know I promised not to do anything but can you really blame me? That bastard needed to be taught a lesson. He can't just get away with doing that to you!" Nick retorted but he was now starting to worry. "I made sure he didn't die. I mean after I did that I saw he was still breathing…_He's still alive, right?"_

"He's in a coma," Macy said as she now felt her body go numb because one thought was bothering her to no end. "_Nick, what if he wakes up and blames you…I mean all the evidence is there…_"

"Then, I'll do the honest and right thing and tell the truth."

"_But Nick I told you I don't want anyone else knowing that he took advantage of me…It's embarrassing enough…I told you not to do anything so we can avoid things like this happening…you can destroy your career and—_

"Macy, stop. I don't care if my career gets destroyed because you're the most important thing to me. And fine I won't mention you if you don't want me to. I'll just try to come up with something that is believable…"

"But I don't want you to lie either…" Macy said solemnly. She was panicking because the last thing she wanted was for her boyfriend to get arrested for doing a noble thing because in reality, Macy was actually happy that Nick went out of his way to defend her honor. "We need to think up of something…"

"Macy, I'm sorry. I should have listened to you," Nick said quietly as he gave her a light kiss on her forehead.

She let out a loud sigh and said, "No, don't apologize…I just don't want you to get into trouble…"

"I know. I was just so angry at him I just couldn't stop punching him."

"It's okay, Nick. I appreciate what you did but if this comes out, this could really do some damage to you and your brother's career."

Nick bit his lip. It was a habit of his when he was worried about something and right now, this was definitely something he should worry about. But as much as he didn't like the fact that Julian could affect his career, Nick was content that Macy was with him safe and sound.

So the two of them sat together in the dark as the movie played on trying to think up what they could do. But there was nothing substantial coming into mind. So an hour must have passed when Macy called it a night.

"It's getting late, Nick," she finally said. "We should go to bed."

"Okay," he agreed. "And Macy? I'm sorry again. I shouldn't have let my anger get the best of me."

"No, it's okay. I'm just worried about what could happen to you," Macy replied as she embraced him tightly.

"It'll be okay," Nick said more to himself than to Macy. He needed some self-assurance because he really didn't know what could happen.

"I hope so…"

After that, she tiptoed up to give Nick a heartwarming kiss goodnight. But the kiss that they shared was symbolic in the sense that no matter what happened to the both of them, they would always have each other's back. And so Nick took her up in his arms and kissed her passionately on her lips before letting her go.

Thus, both Nick and Macy secretly wished that _Julian won't wake up anytime soon._

_Here's to hoping for the best._

* * *

**Closing Remarks:**

Before I say anything, I totally forgot to make shout-outs to those of you who made some really insightful reviews for Chapter 7. Sorry about that!

Shout outs to **snoupy, Nacy017, **and **nacy4ever** for giving really in-depth analysis behind Julian's actions.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. So at least we know what became of Julian after Nick's brutal beating. When will he wake up? And what happens if he does? If anyone has any idea PM me, because if you guess right, you'll get a shout out at the very END of the story. The next few chapters will be quite entertaining as Macy continues her trip with JONAS. There will be some drama but not as big as before. So this is definitely a change of pace. LOL. Maybe that's the reason why I'm slow in updating this because I'm not use to not having so much drama but I always like testing myself and my writer's block is slowly going away because I was already able to write up a makeshift outline for future chapters. So stay tuned!

And if you haven't done so check out my new story that I uploaded a few days ago entitled _Secret Liaisons. _This story will definitely contain some drama (which is my forte). So after I wrap this up, I'll be sure to continue that story next. And once you read the first chapter of this new story be sure to vote in the poll. I explained it at the end of that story so check it out for the details!

Read and REVIEW PLEASE!

-Penelope36


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 Two Brothers and a Girl**

It was early the next morning when the JONAS tour reached Camden for their next performance. Everyone headed out to the lobby of the Courtyard by Marriott, where they would be staying. Nick and Macy didn't have time to continue their conversation from last night but Macy hesitantly kept checking her phone just in case her mom called again.

"Joe and Kevin, you guys will be sharing a room," their father announced as he read off a list. "Frankie and Nick, you'll also share one. And Damien and Warren are in one and…"

And their dad continued reading off his clipboard as he announced the rooms for the rest of the guys while Mrs. Lucas did the same thing for the girls.

"Julie and Tamara will have one room. Jessica and Susie will be together…and last but not least, Gabby and Macy will share a room," Mrs. Lucas finished reading off her list. "Now everyone pair up and I'll give you your keys."

"HEY ROOMIE!" Gabby greeted Macy happily.

"Hi, Gabby," Macy said cheerfully. The dancer was always so full of energy and _she thought she was hyper._ "What's up?"

"Well, we didn't get to have any girl bonding time last night since you disappeared on me. I hope you're not avoiding me," Gabby said with a slight frown.

"Oh no! Not at all!" Macy assured her. "I told you I just wanted some fresh air. But I'm glad we'll be roomies again."

"Me too! I really want to be friends," Gabby said excitedly. "And when you have time you can tell me the whole story about how you and Nick got together. Of course if I ask Nick he'll just say it's none of my business."

Macy laughed and nodded her head in agreement, "That's definitely something Nick would say."

"HAHAHAHA! He really doesn't say much, does he?"

But Macy hesitated a bit because Gabby was right. Nick never said much to anyone he wasn't that close to but she knew a different side of Nick that no one else besides her knew—the funny and _very affectionate _side of Mr. Nick Lucas.

"Gabby! Macy! Here's your key," Mrs. Lucas said while handing them the card-key to their room and when she turned around she accidentally dropped her cell phone, unbeknownst to her but Macy saw it.

"Macy, let's go check out our room!" said Gabby, who also didn't notice the cell phone on the ground since she was too busy gathering her stuff.

"Oh…um…you go on ahead of me," Macy said hesitantly as she eyed the phone that no one seemed to have noticed. "I-um- want to talk to Nick before I-uh-go."

Gabby laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Oh gosh! Separation anxiety much? You guys are so in love. _Gag!" _she cried out and then continued laughing. "I'm just kidding! It's really cute! Fine, I'll meet you upstairs."

And when she was gone, Macy quickly and discretely picked up Mrs. Lucas' phone. She knew the right thing to do was to return the phone but something deep inside of her compelled her to put it in her pocket instead. She saw Nick from across the lobby talking to some of the other guys in the band.

Walking up to him, Macy lightly tapped him on the shoulder.

"Nick, can I talk to you?" she asked quietly while nervously looking at everyone, who was now staring at her curiously.

"Yeah, okay sure, Mace," Nick said and he was about to leave with her when one of his band-mates called out to him.

"HEY NICK! Aren't you going to introduce us to your lady friend!" yelled a jovial looking man.

Nick pursed his lips because he really didn't want everyone making it such a big deal that he brought Macy on tour with them. However, everyone was quite shocked that Nick, out of all people, invited a girl to go on tour with them because _he never did that before. _Thus, everyone speculated that the petite brunette girl had to be someone really special to the youngest member of JONAS to get such special treatment.

"Macy, meet the rest of the band. This is John, Greg, Jack, and Ryan," Nick introduced them as each of them waved at her. "And guys this is Macy. She's –uh- a really good friend."

Macy knew why he said that but it was still a bit shocking for her to hear him introduce her like that.

"_A really good friend?" _John repeated what Nick said with a clearly skeptical look on his face. "I don't believe you guys are just 'good friends'. Isn't that right, Macy?"

This time Macy felt a blush come across her cheeks and just shrugged her shoulders and said, "Nick and I are –uh- just really good friends."

And to show them that Nick was telling them the "truth" she gave him a playful punch on the arm to show how "chummy" they were. But the fact that they were both blushing was already a dead give away that they were both lying.

"If you guys are just friends, then you wouldn't mind if I take Macy out to lunch," Greg said as he went over to the brunette girl and put an arm around her shoulder. "I know this really good place down here—

But the dashing young man couldn't finish chatting up Macy because Nick suddenly yanked her away from him and said, "OKAY! You got me. Macy's my girlfriend. And we've been together for a year. _So back off_, please."

Macy smiled at Nick and took his hand in hers.

"We knew it all along," Greg said as the rest of the band nodded their heads in agreement. "I was just joking around. We all know she's out of bounds. No hard feelings, bro?"

Greg offered his hand to show his sincerity because he really wasn't going to take Macy out on a date. He was just waiting for Nick to crack and admit his true relationship towards the pretty girl. When they finished shaking hands, John, the jokester of the group said, "So you're the girl that stole our beloved Nick's heart?"

"Um…I guess so," Macy said sheepishly.

"So you must be the most perfect girl in the world or something because Nick is very picky with everything," John pointed out. "You know it takes him over an hour to finish a hamburger because he eats around the edges so that it always remains a perfect circle. This boy is a true perfectionist at heart."

"That's not true!" Nick retorted as he could feel a blush growing in his cheeks. "I don't take over an hour. Maybe thirty minutes tops."

"Whatever Nick," Ryan now butted in. "You still are a perfectionist."

"Yeah," agreed Jack.

"But it's good that you're with Nick, Macy," John butted in and joked. "It's going to be fun to see Nick show some actual emotions for once. He's always so stoic."

"Am not!" Nick protested but Macy was laughing because it was a change of pace to see Nick getting picked on. _It was really amusing._

"Look at him! He's as red as a tomato," John laughed as he put an around his shoulder and gave him a noogie. "Don't be so embarrassed loverboy."

"Okay, you guys stop it!" Nick yelled as he slipped away from John's grasp. "Macy needs to talk to me_. _So if you don't mind leaving us _alone_."

"Whatever you say your _highness_," Greg said as he gave him an exaggerated bow. "Your lowly servants are dismissed."

"Guys, stop it," Nick said as he rolled his eyes. But Macy was busy laughing her head off because his four band-mates were really funny.

When they left, Macy said, "I like them. They're fun."

"They're just being really silly," Nick said as he shook his head. "Anyway, what did you want to talk about?"

Looking around to make sure his mother wasn't within hearing range, she whispered, "I-uh- took your mom's phone."

"_What? Why did you do that?" _Nick asked her a bit surprised.

"Well, it fell and I was about to give it back to her but then I got nervous because _what if my mom calls her," _Macy pointed out as she handed him his mom's phone. "She can spill the beans and then we'll both be in deep trouble. Maybe we should keep it away from her?"

Nick thought about this while pursing his lips. That was a very risky plan.

"No, we can't do that," Nick finally said. "Let me think."

Macy looked at him hopefully because she really didn't want to get him in trouble. But just at that moment Nick spotted his answer.

"Don't worry, Macy," Nick said as he gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "I got this. I know what to do."

"Okay…?" Macy said hesitantly as he ran off in a distance. He seemed determined. Whatever it was he had planned, she trusted him.

"FRANKIE! My main man! How are you doing, buddy?" Nick called out to him as he helped him with his bags into the elevator.

"Fine," Frankie said a bit shocked that Nick was so nice to him when yesterday he threatened to burn his most prized comic books.

"Here let me get the door," Nick said as he sped up ahead to hold the door open for him.

But Frankie was a smart little boy and knew something was up so he paused before entering the room and asked point blank, "Okay spill it. What do you want?"

_There was no fooling him at all._

"Well, I was wondering if you can-um- do me a favor…"

"A favor?" Frankie repeated with raised eyebrows because Nick never asked him for his help before.

"Yeah, but let's talk inside," Nick said as he ushered his little brother inside their room. "Anyway I was wondering if you can reprogram a cell-phone so that it won't dial or receive any phone calls or any texts from one particular number."

"Of course I can do that," Frankie said a bit offended that Nick would think he wasn't capable of doing that. _He was a computer whiz after all_. "That's like child-work. It will take me 2 minutes tops."

"Great!" Nick said as he took out their mom's phone from his back pocket. "I knew I can count on you, bro. I need you to block Macy's mom from calling mom's phone."

"_Whoa, whoa, whoa!_ Hold on there, Nick," Frankie stopped him. "My expertise always come with a price. I don't just give gifts away even if you are my brother."

Nick gave a loud sigh. It was just like Frankie to make a negotiation. During times like this, it was hard to believe that he was only eight-years-old.

"Okay, name it," Nick said in an annoyed tone. "What do you want?"

"I want you to break up with Macy," he simply replied.

"_WHAAAAAT?_ Are you crazy? I'm not doing that!" Nick said appalled.

"Then I'm not doing it," Frankie said stubbornly. "Besides why do you want me to block her mom's number?"

"Because if she calls mom, she's going to make Macy go back home. You don't want that to happen, now do you?"

"No…"

But Nick noticed that he still wouldn't budge. He needed to think up of something fast to convince Frankie that he needed to do this, otherwise, he would have to say good-bye to Macy and _he didn't want that to happen._

"If you do this, Macy will be eternally grateful to you," Nick said enticingly. "She'll be really impressed that you care about her that much."

"She would be, wouldn't she?" Frankie said as he now carefully weighed in Nick's proposition. "Hm...Macy'll be impressed that I went out of my way to do this for her even if it meant that I could get in trouble with mom…And then she'll see that I'm the right guy for her!"

"WHOA! Hold on there, Frankie," Nick said loudly. "You don't want to get carried away, now."

"Fine, I'll do it," Frankie said confidently because he still believed that his words rang true. He had a different look in his eyes because he knew doing this for Macy would definitely make her see that he was the right Lucas brother for her.

"Okay great!" Nick said surprised by his sudden change of heart. But he would soon find out what the little boy was up to.

It first started off when Frankie returned the cell phone back to his mom and he went up to Macy and told her of his good deed he did for her resulting in the brunette girl to not only kiss him on the cheek but also hug him for _what Nick thought was an unnecessary length of time. _And at first, Nick didn't mind _that much. _Because they never heard from Macy's mom again and both Nick and Macy were relieved that any chance of her talking to his mom was impossible, _thanks to Frankie._

But there was a price to pay because for the three days that they were to perform in the Garden State, Nick found himself spending less and less time with Macy. And it wasn't because he was that busy with rehearsals or anything like that. It was because Macy was spending more and more time with another Lucas brother.

For one of their shows, Nick made a long heartfelt speech about Macy, _of course without giving her identity away_, before he sang 'Your Biggest Fan'. But he was so disappointed to find out that Macy didn't even hear his performance because she was too tired after spending the whole day with Frankie in the Camden aquarium. Thus at the end of the concert, Nick found his girlfriend sleeping on the couch next to Frankie, who was also asleep with a grin on his face. Cursing under his breath, Nick dragged Frankie away from her.

"OW! Nick! Lemme go!" the young boy protested as Nick led him into one of the back rooms to question him.

"_What are you doing?"_ Nick asked Frankie sternly after taking him aside so that no one could hear them.

"I don't know what you are talking about?" Frankie said innocently.

"WHY ARE YOU NAPPING WITH MY GIRLFRIEND?" Nick cried out angrily. He hated fighting with his younger brother because they were so much a like but Frankie crossed the line this time.

"We were tired because we spent the whole day in the aquarium. Plus, she didn't mind taking a nap with me. She was the one to suggest we rest for a bit."

"BUT I MIND," Nick said loudly as he felt tempted to shake some sense into the young boy. "Frankie, you need to get over this stupid crush you have on her. She'll never take you seriously as boyfriend material. Believe me."

"How do you know that? She said I was mature for my age and she had fun hanging out with me."

"Macy has fun with almost everybody! She's just being nice because that's how she is," Nick said calmly. "Frankie, she's twice your age. She doesn't like you in that way. Besides, she's with me. I'm dating her and you're not. So please get that straight in your head."

"Well, bro_, _for your information, age is nothing but a number," the youngest Lucas boy argued. "And from what I can see, you're just jealous because you know she's going to fall for me and leave you."

Nick narrowed his eyes at him and he was about to tell him off but at that moment the person they were talking about walked in on their conversation.

"Oh, hey Nick!" Macy greeted him. "I'm so sorry that I missed the concert. But I know you guys blew the crowd away."

"It's okay, Mace. Frankie was telling me all about your fun day in the aquarium," Nick lied as he forced himself to put his arm around the young boy in a brotherly fashion.

"Yeah. We had quite a day, didn't we, Frankie?" Macy said as she playfully ruffled his hair.

"Y-yeah," Frankie said shyly as he felt a blush come across his cheeks. "I always have fun when I'm with you, Macy."

"Aww! You're such a sweet boy! You should learn a thing or two from him, Nick," Macy teased her boyfriend.

But this time Nick, denying any form of jealousy to himself, did something he knew would make Frankie upset. So he took Macy in his arms and placed a very steamy kiss on her lips, which made her weak in the knees.

When they broke apart, Macy looked at him surprised that he would kiss her in front of his brother and whispered, "_What are you doing?_"

"I missed you," Nick said. "That's all."

"Aww, I miss you, too," she replied back. She could tell that Nick didn't want to let her go any time soon.

Nick made a quick glance at Frankie who was now fuming with great anger. _He was loving every minute of this _because he wanted to show him how seriously in love they were with each other.

"Frankie, go away," Nick said as he kissed Macy lightly on the lips. "We want to be alone."

"But—

"_Frankie—_

"But Macy promised to take me out shopping tonight!" the young boy exclaimed. "Remember, Macy, we found that comic-book store around the corner?"

However, Nick thought this was a feeble attempt to take Macy away from him but boy was he surprised when she pried herself away from Nick's embrace and said, "I did promise him and I hate breaking promises especially for such a sweet boy like Frankie."

"_Are you serious, Macy?_" Nick asked her incredulously. _Was she really going to ditch him for his eight-year-old brother?_

"Oh come on, Nick. Look at him? Can I honestly break his heart when he's been nothing but nice to me?" Macy said with a weak smile hoping that he would understand.

"Come on, Macy! We should leave now before the store closes!" Frankie said as he grabbed her hand.

"Okay, kiddo," she replied as the young boy practically dragged her away. She quickly waved good-bye to Nick. And when they turned the corner, Frankie stuck his tongue out at his brother. If this was a match, Frankie clearly won this round. Nick punched the wall because he hated to lose.

And throughout their stay in Camden, he didn't get too spend any quality time whatsoever with Macy at all, which greatly aggravated the Lucas boy. And before he knew it, they were on the road again heading south to the next show.

Back on the bus, Macy was exhausted and she was about to go to bed when she noticed a small piece of paper on her pillow.

The note was brief: _Mace, meet me in the living room once everyone is asleep. –Nick_

Macy wondered what this was about but she was excited because for the past few days on tour she wasn't able to spend any time with Nick at all so to call her out at night was almost like a little rendezvous Nick planned for both of them. Because Nick gave Macy his bunk, which was near his brothers, she was able to hear when Kevin and Joe were sleeping by the sounds of their snores. So she quietly crept out of her bed and tip-toed to the living room where Nick currently slept on the couch. It was dark when she reached there. She didn't know where the light switch was, so she whispered, "_Nick? Where are you_?"

But instead of hearing a response, she found herself becoming engulfed in a warm embrace. She knew who it was immediately as the attacker brought his face down to hers and kissed her hungrily on the lips.

"_It's been too long, Macy,"_ Nick whispered while gently nibbling her ear-lobe. Macy moaned as she felt herself becoming _very attracted to Nick._

_"I know,_" Macy whispered back into his ear. She pulled her body closer to his as he backed her up against the wall and continued kissing her with so much intensity. Both of them grew hot with desire. Then he looked at her with a determined look on his face.

"_I want you_," he said lustfully when he tilted her head back and began leaving his mark on her neck.

"_Then take me, Nick_," Macy simply said when she felt his hands on her body. They knew what they both wanted but this was the most tricky scenario they have ever been in because his brothers were just in the room next door and his parents could walk in at any moment from the other end of the bus. There was no lock to that part of the bus but both of them prayed to God that they wouldn't be interrupted because Nick needed to feel Macy and she needed to feel him as well. Before they knew it, they found themselves on the couch with nothing on, and Macy was now loudly moaning his name.

"_Oh, Nick…yes…NICK…Nicho-laasss…"_ Macy cried out breathlessly with each thrust.

"_Macy, you need to be quiet,"_ Nick whispered into her ear as he tried concentrating on _what he was doing to her._ He tried silencing her by placing his mouth over hers but because they were under the heat of passion she accidentally bit his lip causing Nick to pull away from her in pain. He didn't want to repeat what he did but he also didn't want to stop_ what he was doing _either.

"_I…can't…be…quiet_," Macy moaned in between her jagged breaths. "_Unless…you…stop moving_…_but… DON'T you dare… stop…Nick_."

Of course, Nick wasn't planning to stop any time soon. He felt too good to even think about putting a halt to their _current activity. _But Macy's cries of pleasure were growing too loud so Nick tried again to muffle her loud moaning by kissing her passionately on the lips. They did their best to keep their noise level to a minimum and thankfully, their time spent together went without any incident. Instead of retreating back to her bed, Macy cuddled up against him and they both fell asleep.

Nick and Macy really thought their little tryst would go unnoticed but because they were so exhausted, none of them woke up early enough to cover up any evidence of their little get-together. That was why Nick felt a firm hand on his shoulder and a voice sternly telling him, "To get up."

"Wait, a little bit longer," Nick said groggily as he turned away from the person trying to wake him up.

"No, I think you need to wake up NOW," said the angry male voice.

Nick's eyes opened immediately and saw his father towering over him. He looked livid.

"Uhh…" Nick was at a loss for words as he shook Macy's shoulder for her to wake up as well.

But unfortunately for him, Macy complained and said, "Let me sleep for a little bit more. I'm so tired, Nick, especially after you wore me out last night."

"_Macy…!"_Nick said louder as he shook her shoulder even harder for her to wake up. He didn't want to look up and see his father's reaction after she said that.

"Nick!" Macy cried out frustratingly because she really was tired since they did it more than once last night. She turned around and was about to say that he was being inconsiderate but instead she saw Mr. Lucas staring back at them obviously furious that they were sleeping together.

"_Oh shit…"_ Macy said under her breath as she now registered the situation that they were in but then she said in her best innocent voice. "G-good m-morning, Mr. Lucas."

Right then and there, she was very aware about how naked she was underneath the covers so she pulled the blanket away from Nick to cover more of herself leaving him to fall off the couch wearing only his boxers.

_"You two better get dressed,_" Mr. Lucas said firmly. "_I want to talk to both of you."_

This was definitely not going to be good at all.

* * *

**Closing Remarks:**

Dun dun DUN! What's going to happen next to Nick and Macy now that they were discovered together in bed, or in this case, in the couch? Sorry for the long wait. I really want to tie up this story but as of now I think there might be at least three more chapters. I'm not sure yet. Thanks for being so patient with this story. I'm glad you're still reading it. After this gets wrapped up, I'll be sure to continue Secret Liaisons. If I get stuck with this, I might upload the next chapter for that one soon..._it depends_. That story will contain some intense drama while the rest of this story will contain minimal drama compared to what I usually have in my other stories.

PLEASE REVIEW! THANKS! :-)

-Penelope36


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 Brotherly Love**

"_WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"_ Mr. Lucas yelled at them but he directed more of his attention to his son rather than to the brunette girl who was staring at her lap as both of Nick's parents lectured them. Well, it was actually Nick's dad who was doing most of the talking while his mother sat opposite them with tears in her eyes and she kept repeating the phrase, "_You're too young to be doing this."_

"Dad, I know why you're upset and I understand it was dumb of us—

"DUMB? _This is way past dumb_. This is an abomination!" his dad yelled at him as he paced back and forth in front of them. "Do you know what the consequences of doing that sort of thing are?"

"I know—

"Of course you don't know because if you knew you wouldn't be having sex in the first place!" his dad continued lecturing them without listening to what any of them had to say. "_Tell me, Nick, since you seem to be so smart._ What would you have done if you got Macy pregnant?"

"Well, I mean I'd of course stick with her and help her if she-um- ever became that. But we're both really careful…I mean we use protection all the time…"

"_Oh you use protection!_ _So that means everything is fine and dandy. _Well, nothing is full-proof mister! The only sure way to prevent pregnancy is abstinence," his father continued yelling. "You could ruin your life and more importantly Macy's life if that ever happened. And for what? So you can fool around for one night! Is that why you brought her along?"

"N-no! It's just…" Nick hesitated because he looked at Macy who was still staring at a solitary spot on the floor. She was really quiet and he really couldn't blame her. This was her second time getting lectured about having sex with him. He knew Macy still wasn't comfortable bringing up what happened in Martinsburg so he covered the truth with another truth. And that's why he said, "I wanted Macy to come on tour with me because I can't stand being away from her. _I love her_."

_Nick took her hand in his _when he said this.

"You love her. _Isn't that sweet, right Sandy?"_ Mr. Lucas said sarcastically as he looked at his wife who was now dabbing her eyes with a tissue but all she could say was "_My baby is growing up too fast."_

"Macy," Mr. Lucas finally addressed the brunette girl in a much milder tone than the one he reserved for his 'irresponsible' son. "Do you understand why I'm so hard on both of you?"

"Y-yes…I do," Macy said when she finally looked up at him. "But Nick and I are really careful. He never pressured me into doing anything I didn't want to do. And I'm really sorry about all of this."

"No, don't apologize," his father said. "I was once young and in love just like you guys but you have to understand the seriousness of your actions. You can't just do that sort of thing especially in a place like this. Sex should be reserve when you both are ready to accept the consequences of such an act. It shouldn't be based on lust. It's an act of love."

"But Nick and I love each other," Macy said as she squeezed Nick's hand even tighter.

"I know you guys do," Mr. Lucas said as he looked at both of them. "And I also know that this talk won't stop you from ever doing _that again_. But you are both seventeen. You're too young to be worrying about the risks of unwanted pregnancies. And I hate to see you guys ruin your lives for something you're not ready for. And I'm not concerned about what it may do to the band. I'm more concerned about how it's going to affect the rest of your lives."

"I know," both Nick and Macy said.

"I really don't know what a worthy punishment should be for you guys," Mr. Lucas said. "But all I'm going to say is you two better not do _this sort of thing_ in here again. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," they said simultaneously.

"Good," he said and then he turned to his wife and said, "Sandy, would you mind taking, Macy? I want to talk to Nick alone."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the bus, there was a lot of hushed movement going on.

"Move over! I can't hear!" Joe yelled to Kevin who was hogging up the whole door to the living room as he pressed his ear against it.

"SHHH! You're so loud!" Kevin hissed back as he continued to eavesdrop on the conversation in the next room. This was definitely a rare occasion because ever since he was born, Nick Lucas hardly got in trouble. _He was the golden son after all. _So to hear both their mom and dad lecturing him and Macy as well, was definitely something worth listening to.

"What are you guys doing?" Frankie asked them once he woke up and noticed his two older brothers leaning against the door that led into the living room.

"Nick is getting in so much trouble!" Joe said excitedly as he was able to find a free spot on the door to put his ear against.

"What did he do?" the young boy pestered more as he tried to join them but there was no place for him to eavesdrop.

"He slept with Macy last night," Kevin said without using any discretion whatsoever.

"_KEVIN! You're not suppose to tell Frankie that!" _Joe argued as he hesitantly looked at his younger brother, who seemed very confused with his statement.

"Huh? What's so wrong with that?" the littlest Lucas boy asked them innocently. "I slept with Macy yesterday."

"_WHAAAAAAT?" _both Kevin and Joe exclaimed with horror in their eyes. _What was Frankie saying?_

"Yeah. Macy and I slept together on the couch after our field trip to the aquarium," he answered matter-of-factly. "We were so tired. But I didn't get in trouble for napping with her. Well, Nick didn't seem too happy about it but mom and dad didn't scold me."

Both Joe and Kevin breathed out a sigh of relief before laughing out loud because _of course that was what Frankie meant. _

"You see, bro…um…_how should I put this_," Joe hesitated as he tried to think of something to downplay what Nick and Macy really did. "_Nick and Macy did more than sleep…"_

"Huh?"

"Kevin, you take care of this. You're the one with the big mouth," Joe said as he continued to listen in on his parents lecturing his brother and his girlfriend.

"You see, when a boy and a girl love each other, they do things that—

"_KEVIN! _Don't tell him that! You're the last person who should be giving him the _talk_," Joe retorted. "Look, Frankie, a boy and girl at Nick and Macy's age shouldn't be found sleeping next to each other because…um…it's not appropriate anymore."

"Why isn't it appropriate? I mean if they're both tired, I don't see what's wrong with them sleeping with each other," Frankie questioned him even further.

The curiosity of the young boy never ceased to amaze Joe but it was during times like these when he wished Frankie would just let the matter go. However, he saw the inquisitive stare of the young boy and he knew that Frankie wouldn't stop bothering him until he received an adequate response.

"Because if they do sleep together, they can get cooties and you know that everyone hates getting cooties!" Joe finally said hoping that this was enough to keep him quiet.

But Frankie gave him a look that clearly meant that he knew what he was telling him was complete crap.

"If you're not going to tell me, I'm going to ask mom!"

"Fine, go ahead. But she's not going to tell you," Kevin butted in. "And keep it down. I think they're about to wrap it up."

So Joe resumed his position against the door but all he heard was their father yelling, "And don't think I'm letting you off that easily, mister! If you continue doing this irresponsible behavior don't think I won't hesitate to cut this tour off early."

And with that, both Kevin and Joe heard movement and immediately they headed back to their bunks pretending to read a book or go online. When Nick appeared, they both tried to play it cool and so Joe said very casually, "So what was that about? I never heard dad that mad before."

"You mean you guys didn't overhear anything?" Nick said quite surprised because he knew his brothers were always up in his business.

"Nope, we were just laying around here minding our own business," Kevin lied in a sing-song voice.

"What does it mean when Kevin said you slept with Macy?" Frankie asked him boldly.

"_Didn't eavesdrop, eh?_" Nick said waspishly as he narrowed his eyes at both Kevin and Joe.

"Well?"

"It's nothing Frankie. You're too young for that," Nick said sternly.

"I'M NOT TOO YOUNG! I've been told that I'm wise beyond my years," Frankie retorted.

"You won't understand," Nick replied as he tried his best to maintain his patience because the last thing he wanted was to be pestered endlessly by his annoying little brother.

"BUT—

"FRANKIE, JUST LEAVE ME ALONE," Nick said angrily. "It doesn't concern you."

"FINE! I'm going to ask mom and dad," Frankie answered back and stormed off down the bus to meet them.

"Okay, we may have heard some stuff," Joe started off saying.

"But wow Nick! Some guts you have to do it with Macy on the bus!" Kevin said incredulously. "Were you really in dire need to get some? Because if you ask me, it was pretty stupid to do that especially with mom and dad on the same bus."

"_Ugh…I know_," Nick said sadly. "Mom was crying the whole time saying that I was no longer the son she raised to be. And she took Macy aside to have a separate talk with her. I hope she's not being too hard on her."

"What's your punishment?" Joe asked him eagerly.

"Well, dad threatened me that if this ever happened again, he's going to cut the tour short and send me off to boot camp but of course you know how dad exaggerates," Nick said. "He's probably going to ground me for a month and take away my car for an even longer amount of time."

"What about Macy?" Kevin asked him.

"Well, they can't really send her back home since we're already so far away," Nick replied. "Plus, they weren't really yelling at her. If anything, I was the bad guy because they blamed me for seducing her—

"Which you probably did," Joe pointed out.

"_It's not like she didn't want to do it either,"_ Nick said waspishly. "But that's besides the point. Mom is probably going to watch me like a hawk from now on… _Great…_"

"Well can you blame her? I mean you should have waited till we got to the hotel to do that and God forbid, if we walked in on you guys," Joe exclaimed. "Imagine if Frankie saw you guys! He would be traumatized for life!"

"Okay, I know it was dumb," Nick finally said. "But I really hope Macy doesn't get punished. It was my fault."

"The way I see it, you both are responsible," Joe pointed out. "It takes two to tango, bro."

Nick sighed and nodded his head. Even though they were riding on the same bus, he never saw Macy until they reached Virginia. He tried to read her expression and even though they made eye contact a couple of times, he could tell that she was fine as she offered him a weak smile from a distance. He was afraid that his mother would be hard on her but that wasn't the case. In fact, he noticed his mother was talking to her more than usual.

However, he didn't get a chance to talk to Macy because not only did JONAS have a concert at night but they had a lot of press stuff to take care of throughout the day. They had two interviews scheduled that day, a radio interview with WRVQ at 11am and a television interview with the popular TV host Kelli Laine at 2pm.

The Lucas family, Big Man, and Macy accompanied the boys to the radio station but on their way there they were once again surrounded by the paparazzi. It wasn't the first time Macy encountered them when she was with the boys. They were there when they left their hotel in New York and there was an even larger crowd of photographers when they played in their home state. Generally, every time the boys stepped out, JONAS was always surrounded by fans and the blinding flashes of cameras. Macy still needed getting used to this because this was still new to her. _She really didn't like being in the lime-light. _As much as possible she tried keeping her head down because she didn't feel glamorous enough to have her picture taken. But as much as she tried to stay incognito, her presence with the boys was enough to cause some stir amongst their fans. Even the Celebrity Brat created a whole post about who she could possibly be. It didn't help that the webmaster decided to post a very unflattering photo of her at 7am in the morning. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun and she had visible dark circles under her eyes. _Macy was definitely not a morning person. _But that was her first assault with the paparazzi so she was caught off guard. Therefore, now she was more of a pro at it and she was fortunate enough to purchase one of those over-sized sunglasses that covered half her face. So despite how she may look like, her face was adequately covered from any more embarrassing shots.

With her sunglasses on, Macy stayed behind the entourage with Mrs. Lucas and Frankie. Thankfully, none of the paparazzi paid attention to her because they were concentrating on the three celebrities up ahead. Big Man tried to ward them off but Macy was able to hear everything they were saying.

"JOE! JOE!" yelled one man. "What can you say about the rumors about you and Stella Malone?"

"Nick! Rumor has it that you dedicated a new song for Gabby!"

"Kevin, is it true you are engaged?"

But the boys ignored all the questions and walked straight into the WRVQ radio station. Before the interview, Nick tried talking to Macy but every attempt he made was intercepted by his mom who would call the brunette girl over to talk about something. The interview went fine when they were asked about their music and how the tour was going. But of course, the radio jockey couldn't help but ask about their personal lives. Nick stuck to his philosophy about keeping his private life to himself and so he denied having a romance with Gabby but he didn't admit that he had a girlfriend. Kevin followed his lead but the two boys were surprised when Joe came forward and spoke the truth and proclaimed that _it was true that Stella Malone was indeed his girlfriend. _

They took a break for lunch with the rest of the crew and during that time Nick still couldn't find Macy. He so desperately wanted to eat with her and talk about what happened earlier in the morning. When he did find her, she was busy talking to his mom who seemed to be giving her errands to do. He waited for his mom to leave before he approached Macy for the first time since that morning.

"_Macy!" _he called.

"Oh hey Nick!" she said cheerfully. "I love to stay and chat but your mom made me her personal assistant so I need to give this to the sound check person."

"Okay that's nice and all," Nick replied. "But I was just wondering if my mom gave you a hard time after what happened last night?"

"Actually, your mom was pretty cool about it. In fact, she wasn't as bad as my mother," Macy answered honestly. "She just wanted to make sure we were safe. But she did say that we need to do our best and refrain from…you know…doing that especially when everyone else was near by."

"That's true," Nick agreed.

"Anyway, I gotta give this to Hank since he's in charge of the sound equipment," Macy said as she gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

They had some free time before their next interview and he was hoping to spend some quality time with Macy but every time he came close to her, his mom or Frankie interrupted him. At one point when he was sure that he could have Macy all to himself, his mother yelled from across the room for Macy to come over. _And that's when it hit him-the reason why his mom was so "calm" about it all. _She was purposely dragging Macy away from him every time there was a slight chance that they could be alone. It was as if she believed any interaction between him and Macy would result in them having sex. But Nick didn't have any time to dwell on it even further because JONAS needed to get ready for their upcoming television appearance.

They were in the dressing room getting ready for their next interview for Primetime Entertainment. However, instead of just having the band JONAS come on, the network extended their invitation to their youngest brother as well. Kevin, Nick, and Joe loved having Frankie join them in their interviews because they didn't want him to feel neglected. They always said that Frankie was the most interesting Lucas brother.

The bubbly host, Kelli Laine, gave them a warm welcome and the audience composed of 99% teenage girls yelled their devout adoration for the three young heart-throbs of their generation.

"Welcome, welcome!" Ms. Laine greeted them happily as Kevin, Joe, Frankie and Nick took their seat in the sofa in that order. "How are you guys doing?"

"Great! Couldn't feel any better," Kevin replied. He was always the most talkative one out of the three.

"That's good to hear," she answered. "You guys have been in the music business for quite awhile and you are all growing up to be very handsome young men. How do you deal with all the crazy fans that desperately seek your attention?"

"We are very flattered by the amount of love our fans have for us but sometimes we admit, it can be overwhelming," Nick said in his usual composed manner. "We try to treat all our fans with the same love and respect that they deserve but sometimes like you said, it can be a bit crazy."

"We have to hand it to our body guards, especially Big Man, for keeping us all in one piece," Joe joked.

"That's very true," Ms. Laine said humorously. "You really need to appreciate what people behind the scenes do for you. Oh! And we have the youngest Lucas brother joining you today. Hi, Frankie!"

"Hello, Kelli! It's my pleasure to be here," he greeted her. There was no trace of shyness in the eight-year-old boy. He loved talking to people.

"How does it feel like being the youngest brother to three of the most recognizable teenage boys in America?"

"It has its perks," he simply replied which elicited a trail of laughter from the audience.

"Now, I know everyone asks you this," Kelli pressed on. "But if you had to rank your brothers in order from favorite to least, who would be first?"

Frankie didn't need to save his breath and said the order as if he thought about it beforehand, "First is Kevin, then Joe and then Nick."

Kevin reached over and gave Frankie's shoulder a comforting squeeze. He was never the favorite brother. But he wasn't the only one surprised that he was able to knock off Nick from his usual #1 spot.

"Oh wow!" Ms. Laine commented. "That's very different from what you said last time! What happened, Nick? Are you surprised you're last and no longer #1?"

Nick did his best to smile and be professional because he knew the exact reason why he was no longer Frankie's favorite brother but he was not going to reveal that on national TV.

"We all adore Frankie very much," Nick said as he put his arm around his younger brother. "It's all based on a relative basis. I guess Kevin's been spending a lot of time with Frankie so he deserves to be his favorite brother. There are really no hard feelings between us."

"Isn't that sweet? You just have to admire the brotherly love you all have for each other," Kelli Laine marveled at the four boys in front of her. "Now I know you guys don't like to talk about your private life but there's one person that's been causing a stir amongst your fans."

And there was a _photo_ displayed in the big screen behind them—_a photo that showed why Nick was no longer Frankie's favorite brother._ Nick shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He knew people would be curious to know who she was since she had been seen with them in recent occasions but he really wanted to protect her privacy.

"Everyone wants to know, who is this pretty brunette that we have seen in many of your recent photos?" Kelli pressed on. She stared at all three of them with great intrigue, waiting for their response. The whole audience also fell silent. In fact, it was so quiet at the studio, they could all probably hear a pin drop because everyone wanted to know the mysterious girl's identity.

"Um…" Nick started to say. _He didn't know they would be asked about her right away. _This was actually the first time anyone has asked about her identity. He was hoping it would never come up but of course, their fans always wanted to know who they associated with.

Kevin sensed Nick's hesitation and being the good brother that he was, he took the matter into his own hands, "Oh, that's Macy. She's just a good family friend. She's like a sister to us all."

If anyone watched Nick carefully when Kevin said this, they would have caught him scrunching his nose and looking a bit uncomfortable when he called Macy _a sister_ because the things he had been doing with Macy were definitely nothing he would ever do to a sister if he had one.

"Yeah, we've known her since we were little and she really wanted to spend some time with our family so we took her on tour with us," Joe added and Nick just nodded his head in agreement. The matter could have been dropped just like that if it wasn't for Frankie, who just happened to be enjoying this interview way too much.

"No, actually she's my girlfriend," Frankie said cheekily. He knew Nick would get riled up by this.

"WHAAAT?" Nick yelled as he turned to him with a look that said _what the hell are you saying?_

Everyone thought Frankie was being really adorable but they were even more surprised by Nick's sudden outburst because he was always calm, cool, and reserved. It was unlike him to yell out loud in any occasion.

"Wow! Frankie, she's your girlfriend?" Ms. Laine asked him with a clearly amused expression on her face. "She's really pretty and a bit older than you but it seems as if your brother isn't okay with that. Could there be some rivalry going on between you and Nick?"

Frankie smiled and was about to say something but Nick interrupted him and said, "No…ahem…it's nothing like that. It's just that aren't you too young to be dating, Frankie?"

His younger brother gave him a devilish look and simply replied, "I know I am but she said she'll wait for me. She's going to be the future Mrs. Frankie Lucas after all. She said so herself."

"SHE DID?" Nick said quite taken aback by this news.

Frankie gave a Nick a fake smile and said, "Why are you so surprised? At least I'm not too chicken to say that she's my girlfriend. Besides, all is fair in love and war. _Right, Nick?_"

Nick gave his cheeky brother an equally fake smile. _Since when did Frankie become such a brat?_

He felt Nick squeeze his shoulder tighter than what was comfortable. Kevin and Joe were laughing now because they could tell that Nick was getting pissed off at Frankie but he couldn't do anything because they were broadcasting live.

"Aren't you a charming little boy!" Kelli Laine said once again in her distinct chirpy voice. The whole audience seemed to agree with her.

But Nick murmured, _"Oh he's charming alright…"_

"Anyway, there are so many girls linked to you boys! It must get exhausting having to fight off rumors of potential girlfriends," Kelli exclaimed.

"We have to admit it does get annoying that so many people are interested in that kind of stuff," Joe answered. "We try to keep our private lives separate from our public lives, especially since we don't want to hurt those close to us. We want their privacy to be respected."

"That's such a noble thing to say but Joe, you recently told WRVQ that you and Miss Stella Malone were in fact a couple. How come you decided to indulge this piece of information to the public since you clearly stated before that you don't like having that part of your life in the public eye?"

Joe cleared his throat because he rehearsed this answer before because he knew this question would be brought up in this interview and subsequent interviews to come.

"Well, the fact that there were so many pictures of us together, it would be really useless to deny that something was going on between me and Stella. And I talked to her about it and she understands the pressure of going out with someone like me and she gave me her permission to tell everyone that we are in fact seeing each other. It was then that I knew that she would be okay with us coming out as a couple. But in all honesty, I really hope no one would bother her about the matter. She's a private person and I really hope her privacy continues to be respected."

"That's really sweet that you asked for her permission to go public with your relationship," Kelli said excitedly as the audience 'awwed' in admiration.

"Thanks."

"Moving on. It must be really flattering to know that girls all over the world want a piece of you," Kelli stated. "And being three boys raised in a good Christian family, you understand the importance of respecting a girl. You boys really live up to the standards of being the perfect all- American boy. I know you don't like it when this topic is brought up but if you don't mind just saying a few words about your pledge to stay pure before marriage. How has that pledge kept you boys grounded?"

There was a pause but then a sly smile came across Joe's face and so he said, "Nick, why don't you take this question."

Nick glared at Joe because he knew exactly why his brother was putting him in the spotlight. It didn't help that Kevin was now chuckling to himself but being the serious brother, Nick took the professional route and showed no hesitation. _No one would ever suspect that he, Nick Lucas, the most proper boy of JONAS, violated his promise to remain pure for quite some time now._

"Well, we made that pledge a long time ago as a promise to our family and church that we want to treat any girl that comes into our lives with the utmost respect," Nick said diplomatically and then he added. "Staying pure before marriage is just one way to show that we honor the sanctity of the sacrament itself."

Kelli Laine was about to give her input on what Nick just said if it wasn't for Frankie who coughed really loud. But the cough was just a way to disguise what he really said. However, Nick heard it loud and clear and he was sure that Kelli and the first row of the audience heard it too. Because Frankie Lucas coughed the word '_LIAR_' really loudly.

"Frankie, are you okay? Is there something you want to say?" Kelli asked the youngest brother inquisitively.

And because Nick was really scared that his brother might rat him out, he quickly covered his mouth and answered for him, "Oh, don't mind him. He's just really sick with the flu. That's why he's a bit delusional—OW!"

Nick retreated his hand quickly after Frankie bit his finger hard.

"Why don't I just sit in between you two," Joe said as he got up and sat between Frankie and Nick because he was afraid that his two younger brothers would get into a fight in the middle of the show.

The interview continued more smoothly after that. Even though Kelli did bring up Gabriella, Nick easily cleared up rumors that they were just good friends and nothing more.

When the interview ended, Nick was fuming with anger.

"_Where's that little brat?"_ he yelled as he tried to find Frankie.

However, before he could do anything, Joe had to pull him back before he yelled at their youngest brother.

"Nick, be easy on him," Joe said.

"_Why? He was acting like a little twerp!_" Nick said angrily. "He deserves to be yelled at."

Joe was laughing while shaking his head.

"_Joe, this is no laughing matter,_" Nick said angrily. "_He made me almost lose my cool in front of everyone. I almost exposed Macy's identity!_"

"But you can't be too hard on him. In fact, if I was Frankie, I would've done much worse if I found out my older brother slept with my _big crush."_

"Huh?" Nick asked him now confused.

Joe sighed and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Frankie found out what _'sleeping with a girl'_ really means," Joe said as he carefully watched Nick's expression. He was enjoying this way too much because it wasn't every day he got to see Nick look completely embarrassed.

"_What?"_ Nick said as he felt himself blushing. "Did you tell him, Joe?"

"No! Are you kidding me!" Joe replied. "Apparently, Frankie took it upon himself to google the phrase and _viola!_ He became enlightened about the birds and the bees."

"Oh, great," Nick said in an aggravated tone. "He probably really hates me now."

"Don't sweat it, Nick. Besides, deep down inside, Frankie knows that you and Macy belong together."

But Nick was right. Frankie did not take the news too lightly when he found out just how intimate he had been with Macy. So when he got back to the tour bus, he was not that surprised when he found his sock drawer, which he made it his top priority to keep neat, completely messed up. And some of his shirts were missing from his wardrobe including his favorite orange polo. He hated being on bad terms with any of his brothers especially Frankie, who was so much like him. _They used to be so close. _So he knew he should fix the problem now before it prolonged for too long and the damage became permanent.

"FRANKIE!" Nick called after him. He was looking for him on the bus. "FRANKIE!"

He found the young boy in the living room area playing a video game.

"Frankie! I was calling for you," Nick said as he took a seat next to him. "Why didn't you answer?"

"I don't need to answer to you," Frankie said angrily.

And he was about to get up but Nick grabbed his arm and said, "We need to talk, bro."

Frankie glared back at Nick and said, "Let go off me."

"Frankie, can we just have a decent conversation, brother to brother?" Nick pleaded with the eight-year-old boy.

For a minute, Frankie had a stare down with Nick before giving in.

"Fine," Frankie said as he sat back down on the sofa where Nick joined him.

"So…" Nick said hesitantly because he really didn't know how to start this conversation. _It was really awkward. _But this talk was long over due so he took a deep breath because he needed to say what needed to be said. "Frankie, you were really acting up today especially during the interview."

"I don't know what you are talking about," Frankie said stubbornly.

"_Frankie, _you almost made me blow up on you during live television," Nick exclaimed. "Why did you have to say all those stuff in front of everyone? Now everyone is going to wonder why I was acting all weird during the show."

"It's always about you, Nick. You never care about anyone else," Frankie retorted as he glared at his brother.

"What are you talking about? That's not true," Nick replied in a concerned manner. _Was he really selfish?_

"It is true! You knew how I felt about Macy and then you go ahead and sleep with her," Frankie said scornfully. "Why did you have to do that with her?"

_So Joe was right. This was what was bothering Frankie. _But this was definitely a fragile topic to talk about because Nick still believed that Frankie was too young to know about the dynamics of love and relationships. So he paused for a minute and bit his lip while he carefully chose his next words.

"I know you have a thing for Macy but Frankie, she's my girlfriend and…um…when a guy and girl are in a relationship…sometimes they do things to show their…uh…love for one another," Nick said carefully hoping that his little brother was weighing in every single word.

"But I don't get it. Why do guys and girls have sex with one another? It's disgusting," Frankie said as he scrunched up his nose because he could still remember reading about a very detail description about the art of making love from an article online.

This time Nick gave him his signature smirk because of course, to an eight-year-old boy the appeal of sex was lost to him so he cleared his throat and explained, "It may seem disgusting to you now but when you're older…um…doing that sort of thing…can be seen as an act of love…"

"So you really love Macy?"

"Yeah," Nick honestly answered. "Frankie, _you know I love Macy_. And that's why I'm trying to tell you to get over this school-boy crush you have on her. I'm sorry if I was so harsh to you before but you need to be realistic."

For a moment, Nick was afraid that Frankie was going to blow up on him again but he was surprised and relieved when the young boy let out a loud sigh and said, "I know that. A girl like Macy will never like a boy like me…_No one likes me_…"

"What on earth are you talking about?"

This time Frankie stood up and looked at him, "Do you know how hard it is to be your brother? I'm no longer just Frankie Lucas. I'm always going to be known as the younger brother of Joe, Kevin and you. I swear whenever a girl shows any interest in me it's because I'm related to you guys."

"Frankie—

"No. You'll never understand," Frankie said. "I'm not like you guys. I'm not musically talented. I love video games and comic books. And girls don't really go for that."

"Well, Frankie, you're still young. I was just like you when I was younger."

"Really? _You were like me?_ You were already singing in Broadway when you were my age," Frankie pointed out. "Macy was the first girl who ever showed interest in me for just being me."

Nick listened to what he had to say without any interruptions because he could tell that Frankie needed to vent out his problems.

"She never brought up you guys whenever she baby-sat me and she really took an interest in my comic book collection," Frankie said as he sat back down and thought about his glorious memories with the brunette girl. "And I could tell she wasn't faking anything. Did you know she thought Spider-man was part of the Justice League? She didn't know the difference between DC and Marvel comics. I spent the whole afternoon explaining it to her and she didn't get bored at all."

Nick smiled thoughtfully because that was just like Macy to take great interest in something she really didn't understand. _She hardly got bored._

"Macy was the first girl who actually liked me for who I am," Frankie said but when he looked at Nick, he could tell he was about to interrupt so he said quickly. "I know what you're about to say and you're right it's silly that I have this big crush on her when I know that Macy will never like me in that way…It's just that I really enjoy being with her. And then I see you guys together and I guess I got jealous…I know I'm too young to be thinking about love—

"Actually, I wasn't going to say that. Love has no age limit."

"That's true. Love is ageless...," Frankie agreed and then said. "Macy is a special girl, Nick."

"I know that."

"Good...Sorry for acting like a brat. I just hate living in your shadow. There's so much pressure and sometimes it's just nice to find someone like Macy who just appreciates me for being just the way I am," the youngest Lucas boy continued. "I hate that I'm always going to be compared to you guys and the fact that we're brothers makes me feel guilty because there are times when I wish I wasn't your brother…"

"Don't say that," Nick said as he gave him a brotherly hug. "Frankie, you are the most awesome person I know. And yes, it sucks that people would use you to get to us but in a way you can use this to your advantage because at least you'll know who your true friends are. And Frankie, you're not the only one who went through this. I was also really insecure at your age too."

"What are you talking about? Girls constantly throw themselves at you."

"But that wasn't always the case. I remember back in fifth grade I had this huge crush on a girl named Anna. She was the prettiest girl in my class and one day our teacher paired us up for a school project and let me tell you, I was beyond happy because that meant I could spend more time with her. And for awhile I thought she really liked me too because she would always ask to come over our house…"

"So what happened?"

"Well, it turns out the only reason why she wanted to come over was because she wanted to get Joe's attention" Nick admitted. "She made it so obvious to the point that Joe would get freaked out by the constant attention she was giving him... She was my first heart-break."

"She picked Joe over you?" Frankie said with an amused expression on his face.

"Hey! It's not funny," Nick answered. "But yes, she chose Joe over me. And I was just like you. Heartbroken. And to an extent I was angry at Joe for taking her away from me even though I knew it wasn't his fault. Joe and Kevin were quite popular in school so I lived in their shadow. It was hard at first because everyone expected me to be as outgoing and goofy like them and well, I'm nothing like Joe and Kev. So that put pressure on me as well. But I realized that I didn't need to prove myself to anyone. I just had to be myself. Don't cave into pressure, Frankie, because you're perfect just the way you are."

"I guess so…But do you think girls will notice me for just being myself?"

"Of course! How about that girl Michelle? The one who brought you cookies on Valentine's Day? She seemed to really like you," Nick mentioned to him.

"Michelle! Ew! Are you kidding me? She's such a weirdo!"

"_Frankie, that's not a nice thing to say."_

"But it's true! She's always following me around school. And get this? She told everyone that we were an item! And she would get mad at every girl that would talk to me."

This time Nick couldn't help but laugh.

"Aww, she has a crush on you, bro," Nick said. "You should get to know her. She's just trying to get your attention."

"But she's so strange!"

Nick laughed and put a comforting arm on his shoulder and said, "You want to know something? You can't tell Macy I told you this."

"Okay," Frankie said as he sat up to listen to him closely.

"Before I fell for Macy, I thought she was really weird, too," Nick confessed.

"Really?"

"Yeah. She was this crazy JONAS fan who followed me around school. One time I caught her going through the trash just to save a napkin I used to wipe my mouth with," Nick said. "And I guess I was making it obvious that I didn't really want to be friends with her but Stella threatened me that if I didn't treat her best friend with the same respect as everyone else, she would stop making clothes for the band."

"And then what happened?"

"Well, I listened to Stella and started to get to know the _real Macy Misa,"_ Nick said. "And let me tell you, I was blown away. She was nothing like I initially thought of her. The more I hung out with her, the more I wanted to know her. She was like a puzzle to me because I thought she was just this weird obsessive fan but the more she became comfortable being around me, the more she started showing her true colors. And before I knew it, I was in love with her."

"So you're saying that if I give Michelle a chance, I'm going to fall in love with her too?"

"No, _I'm not saying that_. I'm just saying that you should try to be friends with her," Nick said. "People like Michelle who show interest in you without any hidden motives are the people you should be friends with because they like you, Frankie, for being yourself."

"I guess so."

"Believe me, bro. Once you get older, girls will be running after you. You just have to wait a little bit. You're still young," Nick said as he smiled at him.

"I am pretty cute," Frankie said in a confident manner. "And Macy told me that I was the model of the perfect gentle-man."

"She said that?"

"Yup," he said happily and then he added heart-fully. "But I promise to back off from now on. I know Macy loves you as well."

"Thanks, bro."

"And just for the record. You won't break up with her no matter how much I beg you to?"

"I'm sorry, bro, I won't break up with her," Nick said as he gave him a comforting smile.

"I know. Just making sure if you changed your mind," Frankie said and then he asked him on a brighter note. "Does Macy have any younger sisters?"

Nick laughed and shook his head. _Frankie was one amusing boy. _

"So are we cool now?" Nick asked him.

"Yeah, we're cool," the young boy said.

The two of them symbolically fist-bump each other to represent a truce that ended their fight over Macy.

But before Nick could ask Frankie to a video game challenge, the girl they were just talking about walked in and said, "Frankie! There's a comic book down the block. I checked with your mom and she said we have an hour to spare before we hit the road. You want to check it out?"

Nick expected his brother to refuse since Frankie said he was going to stop bothering Macy from now on but boy, was he surprised when the young boy jumped up and exclaimed, "Of course, I'd love to go! Let me get my stuff first."

"_Frankie!_" Nick said as he gave him a look that clearly said _–what are you doing?_

But the boy just laughed and said, "How can I say no to comic books?"

And with this, Nick smiled and said, "Okay. But can I come with you guys?"

"Of course!" they both said. So when Frankie went back to his bunk to get his bag, Nick and Macy were finally left alone.

"You and Frankie seem to be getting along fine especially after that _interesting interview_ you guys had this afternoon," Macy pointed out as she walked over to Nick and gave him a big hug.

"Yup. We had a good talk and we're good now," Nick answered her as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"That's good," Macy said and the she quickly asked him. "So who's Anna?"

"Huh?"

"The girl you had a crush on in fifth grade?"

"You were eavesdropping on us, Mace!"

"I couldn't help it! So does she go to Horace Mantis?"

"No."

"Is she prettier than me?"

"_MACY!_"

"Okay. Fine. I'll stop bothering you," Macy said as she chuckled because she knew she was being obnoxious.

"But the answer to your question is 'no'. She wasn't prettier than you," Nick said and he leaned in for a kiss on the lips but he was surprised when Macy back away from him. "Macy?"

"Oh don't think you can kiss me that easily, Nicholas!" Macy retorted. "I also heard what you said about me."

_Crap._

"And for your information," Macy continued. "I didn't go through the trash looking for a napkin you used. I –uh- thought I dropped my lucky charm bracelet in the trash bin that's why I was searching through the garbage."

"_Uh-huh. Okay like I believe that_," Nick said skeptically.

"NICK! I'm telling you the truth! I know I was a bit psychotic—

"A bit!"

"_Okay, okay, okay_. I was pretty crazy back then but that's down-right creepy for me to save one of your used tissues."

"Yeah. But you did have a book dedicated to everything about me," Nick pointed out. "Need I remind you about Randolph?"

_He got her there. _

"Fine. I admit to that," Macy said. "But I put all that stuff away. It's not like I had a shrine dedicated to you. How crazy did you think I was?"

"Pretty crazy to be honest," Nick said with his signature smirk.

"_Well, if you have to know, when I first met you guys, you weren't my first crush_," Macy taunted Nick because she was quite miffed by his initial opinion he had of her.

"_WHAT?_ Who did you like first? Joe? Kevin?" Nick said as he grew paranoid that Macy was attracted to one of his older brothers before him.

"I'm not telling you," Macy replied now glad that she had the upper hand.

"_Tell me_! Who did you like first?" Nick pestered her.

"Frankie! Are you almost ready?" she called out to the youngest Lucas boy as she ignored Nick.

"Almost! I can't find my wallet!" he called back. "Just give me a second!"

"Who did you like first?" Nick continued pestering her because he wanted to know who his girlfriend was crushing on before she got with him.

Macy gave him an impish smile and said, "_I'm not telling you_."

"Oh come on!" Nick said but by then Frankie found his wallet and so the three of them headed out to the comic book store. However, Nick wouldn't let the matter go so he continued. "Was it Kevin? It was Kevin wasn't it? No? Then Joe? You had a crush on Joe?"

But she wasn't budging.

"Come on Frankie! I think they have that new Avenger's issue out," Macy said to the youngest Lucas boy. "We can read it together tonight."

"OKAY!" the young boy said excitedly.

"_Macy, just tell me!_" Nick said as he followed closely behind them. "It's Joe, isn't it? You had a crush on him?"

But the brunette girl ignored him as she helped Frankie pick out a comic book.

"_MACY!"_

However, even though he and Frankie were on good terms now, another pressing matter was bothering Nick Lucas to no end. But no matter how much he asked her that night, Nick never found out Macy's secret crush.

_Maybe tomorrow he would make her crack._

* * *

**Closing Remarks:**

It's been awhile. Sorry if I haven't been uploading as fast as I used to. I'm just trying to enjoy my last semester in college but don't worry I'm not abandoning this story. Anyway who do you think Macy liked before Nick? For this chapter I really wanted to have Frankie and Nick settle their fight for Macy. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I'll try to upload the next chapter soon but I don't want to make any promises. This is going to be one of my longest story yet because I never reached chapter 11 in any of my stories and I have a feeling this story may end in (give or take) three more chapters. After this, I'm going to pick up with Secret Liaisons. That will definitely have more drama.

Anyway PLEASE REVIEW! I love hearing from you guys!

-Penelope36


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 Crushes, a Diary, and a Bet**

"_Nick…stop…"_ Macy said as she tried pushing her very affectionate boyfriend away from her.

They were in the middle of a very heated make-out session in one of the janitor's closets of the arena JONAS was performing in that night. Why a janitor's closet, you may ask? Because they didn't want to get caught by the watchful eyes of _Sandy Lucas. _In fact, they were really lucky to even get away from everyone to escape and spend some one-on-one time with each other.

But as much as Macy tried to end their little tryst, Nick wasn't letting go off her that easily.

"_We can't…" _she said when a faint moan escaped her lips because Nick was now attacking her weak spot on her neck. "_Seriously…"_

"_Fine. I'll stop only if…" _Nick started saying while kissing her passionately on the lips. "_…you tell me which of my brothers you had a crush on first."_

"Are you still on that?" Macy said when she managed to hold him at arm's length to get a good look at his face.

"Yeah," Nick said now in a completely different tone. "It's Kevin, isn't it?"

"Nick, why are you making this such a big deal!" Macy exclaimed while she buttoned her shirt back up. "It's not like you didn't have any crushes before you got with me. Remember, Penny? _Yuck. Just saying her name leaves a sour taste in my mouth._"

"Yeah, I know that," Nick said while chuckling at her last remark. "But the difference is that none of them were related to you. I'm just really curious. I won't get jealous. I promise."

Macy didn't say anything at first as she weighed in what he just said. She looked at him skeptically and she was about to reveal her secret crush when a loud booming voice from outside yelled.

"NICHOLAS LUCAS, WHERE ON EARTH ARE YOU?" his father yelled. "YOU BETTER GET OUT HERE THIS INSTANT IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU!"

His voice faded away as he continued walking down the long hallway of the arena. But even though his voice grew fainter they could both tell that he was not happy about Nick's tardiness since he had to be on stage soon.

"You should go," Macy said. "We don't want to get in trouble again."

"Yeah," he replied. "But I'll see you after, okay? _And then you have to tell me_."

Macy smiled at him and said, "We'll see…Now get out there!"

She practically pushed Nick out of the closet and waited a minute or so before she left. They didn't want to be seen together especially if it could mean they would be in trouble with his parents. It was their first time together ever since that fateful morning and they didn't want to put any more strain on their relationship.

Macy headed towards backstage when she ran into a familiar face.

"Oh hey Gabby!" Macy called out to her. "Excited about the show?"

"Yeah! You know me," she replied in her usual excited voice. "I get always hyped up before a show! I can feel the adrenaline running through my veins!"

"That's good," Macy said. She was about to say something else when she was interrupted by another voice.

"Hey Gabs!" said a deep voice. "Break a leg tonight!"

"Thanks, Jeremy," Gabby said in an uncharacteristically high pitch voice. "Although I shouldn't actually break a leg…because …you know…I wouldn't be able to dance…_HAhahahaha…ha…_"

The boy, who Macy now took a good look at, was the lead choreographer for the back-up dancers on tour. He was tan and had Spanish good-looks and he had a charming smile.

"That's very true," Jeremy answered while laughing and added. "In that case, I should just say good-luck then!"

"Yeah, thanks Jer!" Gabby said and Macy noticed that she was turning a light shade of red. The two of them watched him walk away before Macy confronted her.

"GABBY! You have a crush on him, don't you!" Macy said excitedly.

"What? N-no I d-don't…" the girl lied miserably.

"Oh yes you do!" Macy proclaimed. "You're as red as a tomato!"

"I am?" Gabby exclaimed as she put her hands on her cheeks to cover them. "Do you think he noticed?"

"Probably—

"Oh crap! I can't believe it," Gabby said embarrassed about the whole situation. "He probably thinks I'm such a weirdo. And what the hell was I saying about me breaking a leg! Why couldn't I have just said thank you. Instead, I have this stupid habit of vomiting out every single stupid thought that comes to my mind—

"GABBY! Chill out!" Macy said as she put her hands on her shoulders to gently shake her back to her senses. "I don't think Jeremy thinks you're a weirdo. In fact, I have a feeling he likes you, too."

"Really?" Gabby said now in better spirits.

"Yeah," Macy said truthfully. "He did wish you good-luck _twice_ and he did laugh at your little joke back there."

"But do you think I'm making it obvious that I like him?" Gabby asked her eagerly.

"Well…um…not really," Macy said honestly because the change in her behavior when she was talking to Jeremy was very apparent to her.

_"That means a 'yes'."_

"But he was totally flirting back!" Macy pointed out. "Just ask him out."

"I can't do that!" Gabby exclaimed.

"Why not?" Macy asked her curiously.

"I know this might come out as a shock but when it comes to guys…_I'm really shy._"

"_You're really shy?"_ Macy repeated in a shocked voice because she didn't believe it one bit. "Um…excuse me? Didn't you use to go out with Nick? No offense but that seems more nerve wrecking asking him out than asking Jeremy."

"But that's the thing," Gabby said. "Nick asked me out. I didn't ask him. I can't just come up to a guy and say _do you want to go out with me?_ What if he rejects me!"

This time Macy gave her a look that clearly said _'you got to be kidding me!'_ Because what could Gabriella be so insecure about? _She's outgoing, pretty, and very fit. _She has everything going on for her. Macy shook her head in disbelief.

"Do you want me to ask Jeremy how he feels about you—

"Would you really do that for me, Macy?" she interrupted her before she could even finish her sentence. "_Thank you thank you thank you!_"

"Er…okay," Macy managed to say as Gabby gave her a steel-grip hug. "I'll see what I can do."

After another quick hug, Gabby scurried off to join the rest of the dancers. _Great. Now she has to play match-maker for a girl she admittedly didn't like in the beginning of the summer. _But then again if it wasn't for Gabby, who knows what could have happened to her and Nick. So as she watched JONAS perform their last show in Virginia, Macy was deep in thought on how to get Jeremy to confess his feelings for Gabby. She tried to think up of a sly way to make him reveal his true feelings but she decided the direct approach would be best. However, she needed to wait for the concert to be over to make her move because Jeremy was filling in for one of the other dancers who got sick and couldn't perform.

Meanwhile, the whole time Nick was performing all he can think about when he looked at Kevin and Joe was if Macy had a crush on either of them. It was Joe's part when they sang 'Lovebug'. And Nick couldn't help but feel a bit paranoid that Macy could have had a crush on him. Joe always had the girls while growing up. Even his first crush liked Joe. It's not like he was _jealous or anything _about all the attention Joe gets from female admirers anymore. That was a long time ago. Besides, once puberty hit him, Nick was able to get his fair share of female fans. But he didn't like the fact that Macy could have felt attracted to his brother. When it came to Macy, Nick had a right to feel possessive because she was the girl he loved with all his heart. It was hard for him to accept the fact that she felt attracted to someone of his own flesh and blood. Yes, he felt jealous when Macy kissed Julian but this was a different story. Because did Macy really like one of his brothers before him? Wasn't she suppose to be a true JONAS fan from the very beginning? Shouldn't she have liked all three of them equally? See, Nick would have been okay with that. If Macy liked all three of them at the same time like _a true fan should_, he wouldn't be this paranoid. But she specifically said that she liked one of his brothers first. So there was an initial attraction that existed before her attraction to him.

They already moved on to the next song and it was the one in which Kevin had this big guitar solo where he would spin endlessly as he played some sick chords in his electric guitar. Kevin was always full of energy and even though Joe was known for his good looks, his oldest brother was known to be the goofy and entertaining one. Girls loved Kevin because he was easy to get along with. In fact, Nick clearly remembered how _friendly _he and Macy got when they first met. Although he can't really blame Kevin since that's his personality, looking back at it, he wondered why Macy didn't get with Kevin in the beginning since she was closest to him first. _Maybe Macy used to have a crush on Kevin..._

It was killing him to no end. And even though he told Macy he wouldn't let it bother him, it was kind of hard looking at Kevin and Joe without a tinge of suspicion. So the minute that the curtains fell down, he expected to see Macy patiently waiting for him. But she was nowhere to be found. Because unbeknownst to him, Macy was determined to carry out a request.

"Jeremy! Jeremy!" Macy yelled when she noticed the dancers piling out of their exit from the stage. The tall boy turned around surprised to find a certain brunette girl calling out to him.

"Um…yes?" he said hesitantly.

"Hey-uh- you probably don't know me but—

"Of course, I know who you are! You're Nick's girl, aren't you? Macy, is it?"

"Yup, exactly," Macy said. "Anyway, I know this is out of the blue but you know Gabby, right?"

"Of course! She's one of the best dancers out there," he replied. "What about her? Did she say anything about me?"

"What—

"Does she think I'm weird? Or that I push her too hard? I know my practices are a bit tough but I know she can handle it," Jeremy said quickly. He really seemed to be concerned about what Gabby thought of him.

"No, not at all, Jeremy!" Macy said happily. "In fact, a little birdie told me she just might have a thing for you."

"Really?" he said with pure excitement. _It was apparent that the feelings were mutual. _"You're not just messing with my head now, are you?"

"Why would I do that?" Macy replied. "I know you like her, too. Why don't you ask her out?"

"I was planning to but I didn't know if she felt the same way about me," Jeremy replied. "There's this great seafood place near the beach that I used to go to with my family when I lived here in Virginia. You think if I asked her out to dinner, she'll say yes?"

"I think she'll DEFINITELY say 'yes'," Macy honestly replied.

"But I don't want to make it awkward and ask her out of the blue," he answered. "Do you think you and Nick can like double-date with us?"

Macy had to think about it at first. It's been awhile since she and Nick went out to a restaurant and enjoyed a nice meal. In fact, it's been awhile since she and Nick did anything _alone. _Now that his parents knew just how intimate she was with their son, they have been watching them like a hawk. But if they double-dated with Jeremy and Gabby, she knew there would be no problem.

"I think that's a great idea!" Macy exclaimed. "How about I meet you in the lobby at 8:30?"

"Awesome," Jeremy said in a giddy voice. "I'm so excited!"

"Me too!" Macy said, happy that her match-making skills were a success. And so Jeremy gave her a quick hug and quickly headed down the hallway with a noticeable skip in his step as he made his way to ask Gabby out on their first date. But just when Macy turned around in the opposite direction, an arm blocked her path from entering the doorway.

"_Well, isn't that interesting,"_ said Nick, who had an unreadable expression on his face.

"Whoa, Nick! You scared me!" Macy said.

"_Is it just me or did that just sound like you and Jeremy agreed to go out on a date?_" Nick said very calmly.

"_WHAAAAAT? _Hahahahahahahaha!"

"Macy, it's not funny!"

"It is hysterical! Because do you honestly think that I would cheat on you?" Macy said now with a stern look on her face.

Nick pursed his lips because she did have a point. _There was no way Macy would ever cheat on him not after everything they've been through._

"Well, then what was that about?"

"_Nick…"_ Macy said as she now embraced him to comfort him from any uneasiness that he concocted in his head. "I agreed for _us _to go on a double-date with him and Gabby."

"Jeremy and Gabby are a couple?" Nick said now surprised by this news.

"Not yet but this would be their first date and to ease the tension Jeremy wanted us to tag along so it wouldn't be awkward," Macy informed him.

"So Jeremy is the guy that Gabby secretly likes?" Nick asked her a bit surprised. "Isn't he like 25?"

"So? Gabby's 18. She's an adult," Macy pointed out. "Besides age is nothing but a number."

"That's true," Nick agreed. "So where are we going?"

"This seafood place by the beach," Macy said. "I think it will be nice to eat out on our last day here."

And so when the time arrived the four of them headed out to the restaurant that Jeremy had in mind. Because there were two other people with them, Nick's mom didn't make a big fuss.

Before they reached their table, which was on the outside patio overlooking the beach, Gabby took Macy aside and thanked her so much for setting this up.

"I owe you one!" she whispered excitedly in her ear.

"No you don't," Macy assured her as she returned her hug.

"No, I do!" Gabby said and before Macy could speak up, she interrupted her and said, "Not another word! If you're ever stuck in a bind, you can count on me."

Macy smiled at her and answered, "Thanks. I'll hold you to your word."

And after their little exchange, dinner went smoothly. Macy got to learn a bit more about Jeremy and how he was an aspiring rapper. It was interesting to see him and Nick exchange some ideas back and forth at the table. The sun was beginning to set when they all finished their lobster dinners. They headed back to where their tour buses were parked so that they can get a start on the road but when they were a few blocks from their hotel something interesting happened. At that moment, the four of them were met with blinding flashes. _It was the paparazzi._ Macy was still adjusting to having her picture taken. So she tried to lay low but it was useless.

"Nick! Gabby! Over here!" yelled one man.

"Did you guys just have a date?" joined another.

"Rumor has it that your new album is about Gabby. Is that true?"

The questions got more absurd but that wasn't the strange thing that happened. What caught Macy off-guard was the fact that when the paparazzi came out, Nick who was standing next to her moments ago suddenly sped up so that it didn't seem like _he and she were together._ She understood why he did that but it didn't help the fact that she still felt hurt. Gabby on the other hand just smiled patiently to the photographers but refused to comment on anything being said. No one paid any attention to her or Jeremy. For all she knew, the paparazzi probably didn't even see them. Once they were in the confinements of the back lot of the hotel they stayed in, the paparazzi couldn't trespass so that gave the four of them the freedom to say goodnight to their respective loved one.

Gabby and Jeremy headed off in one direct while Nick and Macy stayed by his bus.

"Macy, are you okay? You seem overwhelmed," Nick said after he gave her a goodnight kiss.

"It was just weird. That's all," she quietly replied.

"What's weird?" Nick asked her in a concerned tone. "The paparazzi?"

"Yeah _that and…"_

"And what?" he said now sounding paranoid. Macy wasn't really looking into his eyes.

"It's just that…you kinda surprised me…" she whispered.

"_What?"_

"When the paparazzi came out, you took off and it's weird that you didn't walk next to me…_I was just surprised, that's all…"_ she admitted to him.

"_Macy…_the reason I did that was because I didn't want them to know about us," Nick said as he embraced her. "You know how the tabloids are. Once they know you're with me, your privacy is going to be jeopardized. I did that to protect us."

"_I know…"_

"Macy, I'm sorry you felt awkward about it," Nick said as he gently kissed her forehead. "But you understand, right?"

"_Yes, I do," _Macy replied in an even more hushed tone.

"Macy, look at me, please?" Nick pleaded with her because he wanted to make sure that she was fine since her body language suggested otherwise.

She did her best to smile up at him and said, "_I'm fine._"

"Okay," he answered as he gave her a final kiss goodnight. "You're not just saying that, are you?"

"I told you I'm fine!" Macy repeated herself. "I get it. You don't want the media to know about me."

But the way she said it seemed like an attack on his reasoning.

"_Macy! _It's not that I don't want anyone knowing about you. It's just that I don't like my private life being exposed," he reasoned out. "I'm a very private person and—

"Joe and Stella came out to the public about _their relationship,_" Macy pointed out.

"Yes, they did," Nick agreed but then added. "And I respect that Joe had the guts to do that but because of them 'coming out as a couple' Stella's already receiving death threats online. Joe told me someone even started an '_I hate Stella Malone'_ website, which I might add, was promptly shut down."

"It's that bad?" Macy said surprised and a bit guilty that she hadn't talk to her best friend for a while now. _A phone call was definitely in order._

"Yes, it's that bad, and I don't want to see that happening to you," Nick explained but he could still tell that Macy was still bummed out.

"I know where you're coming from," Macy finally said when she gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I appreciate that you look out for me like this. _You are_ _a private person_, Nick, and I respect that. I just need to get use to all of this. Back in Jersey we don't really need to worry about people taking our picture but now that it's actually happening, I'm just not used to it. That's all."

"I know, Mace," Nick said. "That's why I'm here for you. So even if I may act distant around you in public just know that when we're all alone, there's nowhere else I'd rather be than be by your side."

Macy was delighted to hear that but then she added jokingly, "Gosh, Nick. I never thought you could be _so corny!"_

"Hey! Way to make fun of me when I was being really sincere!" Nick retorted but Macy was already thrown into fits.

And while laughing she imitated him in a deep voice, "_There's nowhere else I'd rather be than be by your side. _Wow, Nick. I wonder where you got that from? Cliché.com?"

"_Whaaat? _Macy, I never thought you could be so insensitive! I'm here trying to comfort you—

But he was interrupted because at that moment Macy took his face into her hands and planted one of her soul-bearing kiss on his lips. It was enough for Nick to forget what they were even talking about.

"_Wow…"_ was all he could say. It was at that moment when he felt _really, REALLY attracted to _Macy.

"_Good night, Nick,"_ she said before she left.

"_Good night," _he called after her while his fingers lingered on his lips where Macy kissed him passionately just a few seconds ago.

It was time to leave and before they knew it they were on the road again. And it felt weird that Macy wasn't on the same bus as him. Because of all the precautions his mother wanted to take to make sure _no more funny business went on, _Macy stayed with Gabby on her bus while Nick claimed his bunk bed again. But even when they were apart all Nick Lucas could do was think about Macy…_his Macy—the girl that held his heart completely. _She was his and he was hers.

It sucked that he wouldn't be with Macy for the whole ride to South Carolina, where their next show was. In order for the time to go by quickly, he needed to sleep the whole way through. That alone could at least speed up their separation. Maybe in his dreams, he would be reunited with his only love. _Yes, Nick Lucas was a romantic at heart. _And that's why he was trying his best to fall asleep. Because Macy slept on his bed before, he could still smell the perfume she wore, which smelled like lilacs. He smiled to himself as he thought of Macy once more. And he thought slumber would come easily to him now that he had a lingering reminder of her. However, no matter how much he tossed and turned, sleep was just not coming to him. He tried fluffing his pillow up because it felt uncharacteristically hard. _And that's when he found it. _Underneath his pillow was a notebook with stickers of flowers and scribbles on the front. It was a diary. And it wasn't just anyone's diary…_It was Macy's diary. _

For a good two minutes, Nick Lucas stared at the notebook as if he was waiting for it to do something. The right thing to do was to store it away and return it back to his girlfriend the next time he met her but now that it was in his possession, the curiosity was getting the best of him. _He definitely would not be able to fall asleep not when he possessed some of Macy's deepest and darkest secrets all compiled in one little notebook._

Macy told him everything so there really wasn't any secrets between them so if he took a peek, it's not like he would discover anything new…_right?_ He made his way to the kitchen because he needed something warm to drink as he contemplated what he should do. The notebook sat in front of him as if it was taunting him to _read it. _

'_Hm…maybe Macy left it on my bed on purpose,' _ Nick thought to himself as he stared at the front cover of her diary. On the upper right hand corner Macy drew a heart that said _Macy loves Nick._ He smiled to himself when he read that. '_There would definitely be a lot of things that Macy wrote about me…Maybe if I take a little peek…no, no, NO! I can't do that. I'm a respectable guy. I don't want to invade her privacy.'_

The inner debate on whether he should or shouldn't read her diary was bothering him endlessly.

'_If I read it, Macy would never trust me again,´_ Nick reasoned out. '_But it's not like I don't know everything about her…If I take a little peek, it will just be a confirmation about everything she told me…'_

He was already on his second cup of hot cocoa and he still didn't decide what he was going to do. The ride to South Carolina was smooth until they hit one huge bump that caused the napkins on the table to fall onto the floor. While Nick picked them up, an idea came to him.

'_If her diary just happened to fall on the floor and say opened up to a particular page,'_ Nick began to reason. '_Then it wouldn't technically be my fault if I just so happened to read the page that it opened to.'_

Yes, Nick Lucas believed that was a fool-proof plan. So he patiently waited for the bus to drive over the next pothole while he placed Macy's notebook at the very edge of the table so that it can easily fall over. But he waited for a while and the ride was as smooth as ever so he 'accidentally' knocked the book over and _ta-da!_ It opened to a page that was full of red-ink.

Nick immediately crouched down over it so that he can get a better look but there wasn't anything interesting on the page. All it said was '_I love Nick Lucas' _and there were plenty of hearts drawn all over. The next page had the words '_Mrs. Nick Lucas' _and _'Macy Lucas'_ written in different fonts. There was even a hand-drawing of him and her together. Nick particularly didn't like how 'big' Macy made his hair out to be. He unknowingly touched his hair. _Did Macy think his hair was that big? _Before he knew it, he was flipping through her diary without any hesitation.

One entry read:

_Dear diary,_

_Gosh, I miss Nick so much. It sucks that all I can do is wait for his call and look at pictures of him online. I hate it here in Auntie Wanda's farm. The only silver lining is that Julian is here with me…_

Nick didn't want to read any further because just the mention of his name was enough to consume him in rage. So he flipped a couple pages back and an interesting excerpt caught his eye. It was also written in red ink.

_Dear diary,_

_Nick came back to me. He remembered! Although it was because of that b**** who decided to tear us apart, it's ironic that it's because that skank decided to kiss him that he remembered who I was. I seriously don't know what I would have done if I knew that I lost him forever. Because looking back at it, Nick has become part of my very being. Without him…I'm nothing. I know this sounds very pathetic but it's true. I can't imagine life without him…and today was the day when we also took our relationship to the next level…_

Nick paused before reading any further because he knew that Macy was going to describe the first time they had sex in the next part of the entry and to be honest, Nick was a bit nervous to read about what she thought of his _performance. _He remembered that night clearly because that was the first time they made love to each other. To be that intimate with her showed how much Nick loved her. It was a confirmation of their feelings for each other. So taking a deep breath, he mustered up the courage to continue reading.

_I know it's shocking because we both decided that we wanted to wait for marriage to have sex but the moment felt right. I was so nervous and I could tell that Nick was nervous too. I mean we made out A LOT before but to see him naked up-close and personal was a whole different thing. Nick really has a nice body. He really does. It was just a bit overwhelming to see ALL of him because I never saw that part of his body before. I probably looked like a tomato the whole time because I could've sworn I was so embarrassed about him seeing me naked and all. But Nick was a gentleman. Thank goodness condoms were passed out during sex-ed. I would never thought I would need it so soon. And before I knew what was going on, we were doing it. And let me tell you, it hurt like hell. I don't think Nick realized that. I'm pretty sure I yelled out in pain but he probably mistook that for pleasure because he started moving a lot. It felt really awkward…_

Nick had to stop reading for awhile because he was so embarrassed. What the hell was he thinking? _Of course, it was painful for her_…Macy must have thought he was selfish since he felt good and she didn't. He had an urge to call her and apologize but he knew that would be a strange thing for him to do since that was such a long time ago and him apologizing for that now would only make her suspicious that he read her diary. There was still more to the entry and even though Nick felt uncomfortable reading the next lines, he continued reading.

…_I mean the pain went away eventually and it did start to feel better. It felt like an itch that needed to be scratched and Nick kept moving in and out. I could tell he was enjoying it more than I was by the sounds he was making. He was loud. Thank goodness no one else was home because I'm pretty sure our neighbors could hear us. I never saw Nick look so satisfied before. It was really hot to know that it was me that could drive him this wild. I don't want ANYONE else to EVER see him look like that. I call it Nick's intense-sex-face. Eyes closed, sweat forming on his forehead with his mouth partially opened. He looked like he was concentrating hard about something. Even during the heat of passion, he still managed to look so adorable! Before I could adjust to the sensation of him being inside me, we were done. That's it. I feel bad because I told Nick that it was the most amazing feeling ever, which was not really true. It felt good I guess. It's just that people hyped it up so much that I expected my mind to be shattered into pure bliss. But I think he enjoyed it more than I did. Anyway he said he loved me and that he didn't care that he broke his promise to stay pure because it was me he did it with. When it comes to me, he said, nothing else matters. I knew there was a reason why I loved this boy so much. So that's how my first time with Nick went. I give it a 5 out of 10. _

_-Macy_

A 5 out of 10! Talk about having your ego being shut down! Nick felt so ashamed. How inconsiderate was he to think that Macy would enjoy having sex the first time they tried it? He knew it was painful for girls but for some reason he forgot all that when he was with Macy. He wondered what she must have thought of him then? He needed to read some more just to see how she felt about his performance now. But he didn't need to search very far to find the confirmation that he needed because in the entry next to the last one, it read:

_Dear diary,_

_Scratch what I said earlier. I give Nick a 10 out of 10. ;-)_

_-Macy_

That put a big smile on the young man's face.

The entries he read afterwards were usually short. One stated that _' Nick in his aviators is like HOTNESS OVERLOAD'. _Another one was a bit creepy because Macy pasted a picture of him and her on a page and wrote about how their future kids would look like. As much as he loved Macy, he wasn't ready to be thinking about kids. So he skipped that one. There was a lot of short entries about what Macy found hot about Nick. For instance, one passage stated '_Whenever Nick wears a white shirt, it's like he's dangling the bait for me to jump him. Let's just say 5__th__ period in school today wasn't really a "study period". Hahaha.'_

One page was a bit crinkly. It was as if it was written with the page wet and now it was dried up. When he read the contents, he understood why it was like that. It was written in very shaky script because Macy must have been crying when she wrote it. That fact alone sent a strong pang of pain into his heart.

_Dear diary,_

_I did it…I never thought in my entire life that I would let Nick…go…but how can I stay with him when he clearly doesn't remember me? It's all Penny's fault. If she didn't make her move or try to deceive him, he would have remembered me in no time. I never heard Nick yell at me before. But you should've heard him. He was saying how could I have hurt his 'precious Penny!' You don't know how much I wanted to tell him that his angelic girlfriend is nothing but a certified b****, with a capital B. The hardest part was giving back his necklace. At one point I thought he would have remembered me but he showed no signs of reconciliation. I just want to crawl up in a hole and die. I can't believe I lost my one true love…Please, Nick, remember me before it's too late…because I still love you…_

Nick remembered that memory clearly because it was the night when Macy broke his heart into thousands of little pieces. Even though he knew he didn't do it intentionally, it hurts him so much that she shed tears for something he did. He let out a sigh of relief because he was happy that chapter in his life was over.

There were more entries before that. And one of them made Nick laugh out loud because the entire page read '_Penny's a b*****' _ over and over again. Macy must REALLY hate the girl. He was just aimlessly flipping through the pages and he was about to close it when one page towards the beginning of the diary caught his eye. Because while Macy had a habit of writing phrases over and over again to fill the page, there was one page that had a Lucas boy's name written at least twenty times with hearts all over it…_and it wasn't his name. _

Because the mystery of who Macy liked before Nick was finally solved. Written in capital letters was _Joe's name._ _MACY HAD A CRUSH ON JOE? _Was this like 5th grade all over again? Didn't Stella like Joe since they were little? How could two girls be crushing on the same guy? IT JUST WASN'T FAIR!

'_No, I'm not jealous,'_ Nick thought as he tried to calm himself down. '_Besides, Macy's with me now…But does Macy think Joe is cuter than me? What if Joe swoops in and steals her from me—WAIT. WHAT AM I THINKING? Joe has Stella. He'll never betray her for her best friend.'_

Because he wanted to know the extent of Macy's crush on his older brother he began to read from the first page. Her diary started the moment he and his brothers graced the halls of Horace Mantis Academy.

Even though he was intrigued by her crush, he had to smile because the first entry truly showed how 'fan-crazy' she was.

And so it read:

_OMG! JONAS IS ENROLLING IN MY SCHOOL. YES, IN HORACE MANTIS ACADEMY, I GET TO BREATHE THE SAME AIR AS MY PRECIOUS BOYS. Stella told me the AWESOME news today. She'll get to introduce me to them_ _since she's apparently a close family friend from back in the day! I say I just hit the JACKPOT! I wonder what I should wear? I'm so excited to meet Kevin, Joe, and Nick. I think I'll get along really well with Kevin because he's so crazy and out there. And Joe…oh Joe…He's so cute and so cool! I hope I don't faint when I meet him. And Nick…I don't know if he'll open up to me at first. He seems very quiet and to himself. But who knows what could happen? I need to get my beauty sleep now if I want to impress my ultimate idols! Good-night!_

_-Macy_

Was he really that introverted? It was weird reading Macy's first impression of him. But now that he thought about it, his first impression on her wasn't that pleasant either. _It was really remarkable how far they came to fall in love with each other. _

The next entry was her first encounter with them. And he was about to read it when someone called out.

"Nick? Sweetie, what are you doing up at 3 in the morning?" his mother asked him.

"Oh! Uh- hey m-mom!" Nick said quickly as he hid the notebook behind his back. "I was just getting something to drink to help me fall asleep. How about you, mom? What's keeping you up?"

"Ugh, the same old thing. Migraines," his mother lamented as she sat down and poured herself a glass of water so that she could take her medication.

"Oh I see," Nick said nervously as he tucked the notebook underneath his pajamas so that his mother won't catch him reading _his girlfriend's diary. _"Well, I guess I should go to bed—

"Nick, dear why don't you sit down for a bit," his mother said kindly. "I could use a little company."

"Okay…s-sure…"

Every time Nick did something he knew his mother wouldn't approve of, he had a hard time looking into his her eyes because he felt that she would know just what he did without him even saying it. _Mothers can be scary like that. They are really intuitive. _However, Sandy Lucas took Nick's odd behavior for something else.

"Sweetie, I know why you're upset with me," she started off saying which caught Nick off guard.

"Huh? I'm not mad at you, mom."

"No, I know you know that I'm deliberately separating you and Macy apart because—

"Mom, really. It's okay I understand why you're doing that. But Macy and I know our boundaries. I promise we won't do that again—

"I know you're just saying that to make me happy. You're such a sweet son but you should understand where I'm coming from. I know you love Macy and it feels right for you to take your relationship to…_that level. _But-

"Mom, I love her. There's no way I could ever hurt her," Nick assured her.

"Yes, I know that. I talked to Macy, too and every time she spoke about you, I can see it in her eyes that she really loves you as well," his mother said. "I've never seen a girl that in love before. And I don't blame her because I know I raised you right. She's a good girl. And even though I love all three of you equally, there was always something about you, Nick. You have that analytical mind and I understand why you chose Macy because she really is a special girl."

"She is."

"What I'm trying to say, is that I know I can't stop you from being intimate with your girlfriend," his mother said a bit hesitantly. "It's just that you should understand the seriousness of your actions."

"I do—

"I want grand-children, Nick. But I don't want them anytime soon," his mother warned him with raised eyebrows causing Nick to nod his head in embarrassment.

"Don't worry. I'm really-um-careful…" Nick said while he felt his cheeks heating up. This was definitely an embarrassing conversation.

"Good," his mother said as she leaned back in her chair. "I guess part of me wishes you boys were still little kids. But I know there'll always be girls walking into your lives. And soon those girls would be more important than your mother. No, wait let me finish, Nicholas. I promise to back off between you and Macy. But don't let me catch you doing that sort of thing, where there's a great risk of you guys getting caught."

"Okay, mom. I promise."

"I think it's situations like these when it's best that a mother shouldn't know what goes on all the time," Sandy said quietly and then added. "She really loves you, Nick."

"And I love her just as much," Nick replied.

His mother nodded her head and then said carefully, "Macy told me what happened in Pennsylvania."

"_She did?"_ Nick said now greatly surprised because he remembered how Macy was wanted to keep that secret from everybody.

"That was a very noble thing you did, Nick," his mother said admiringly. "She's really lucky to have you in her life. And I'm so happy that she's part of yours. Just promise me that you will continue to treat her with the utmost respect and love that I know she deserves."

"I will," Nick answered.

"Good," his mother said happily. "And don't worry. If anything comes up about that guy in Pennsylvania we'll have our team take care of it so that it won't get leaked to the press."

"Oh okay…but I really don't want Macy brought into it," Nick said because he knew how much Macy wanted to forget about the whole ordeal.

"We'll see what we can do," his mother said. "Now, why don't you get some sleep…And Nick?"

"What is it, mom?"

"_Please, don't grow up too fast."_

"I promise I won't," Nick said with a smile on his face.

Meanwhile, Macy was able to fall asleep soundly. They were near South Carolina and Macy decided to check what the latest gossip was on the Celebrity Brat's page. She took out the laptop that she borrowed from Nick and when she opened up her page, there was that picture from last night of her, Nick, Gabby, and Jeremy. The title of the article read, "Gabby and Nick's Romance, Round 2?"

_UGH! When will she drop this ridiculous rumor about Nick and Gabby? _This dampened her spirits first thing in the morning. It didn't help that the Celebrity Brat labeled her as the "third wheel" of the supposedly 'Nabby' date that went on last night. Macy had to fight an urge to throw the laptop across the room. If she ever met the Celebrity Brat, someone would need to restrain her from strangling her.

"Macy, are you alright?" Gabby asked her cautiously because it looked as if could murder someone.

"Just the Celebrity Brat spreading lies again," Macy said when she let Gabby see the computer screen.

"_According to witnesses, Gabby and Nick shared a romantic dinner last night with some of their friends, including that girl named Macy. Talk about being a third wheel!" _Gabby read off from the site. "Macy, you shouldn't read this garbage."

"I know but it's just that when I think there could be a possibility of her reporting the truth she goes and labels me as the third wheel!" Macy exclaimed. "It's like you can never win with her."

"You shouldn't care what she writes about you and Nick," Gabby said. "If you want, I can have a little talk with Molly and set the record straight."

"No, don't do that," Macy said. "I don't want you to cater to her gossip mill. But thanks for offering. I appreciate that."

"No problem. I got your back especially after what you did for me," Gabby said excitedly.

"Oh about that. So are you and Jeremy a couple yet?"

"Well, I think it's too early to say that," she answered. "But he wants to hang out after tonight's show."

"Really!" Macy said happily.

"Yup!"

"WE'RE HERE!" yelled the bus driver.

So the two girls had to end their conversation short. It was a beautiful summer day in South Carolina. The sun was shining and there was a warm breeze to greet them. The boys would be playing at the House of Blues, which was near Myrtle Beach. In fact the resort they were staying in was near the beach itself. They were going to spend four days there with a total of two shows for their fans. _This was a much needed break. _

While they were checking into the Paradise resort, Macy was in search for her lovable boyfriend. She really wanted to see him.

"Hey, Nick!" Macy called out to him when she spotted him with Frankie and his dad.

"Oh hey Mace," he greeted her.

"Can I talk to you?"

"Yeah sure," he answered as he excused himself from his family and went to a secluded place in the lobby. "What's up?"

She let out a loud sigh and didn't say anything at first as she played with the bottom of his shirt.

"Mace, what is it?" he asked her again.

"It's just that the Celebrity Brat wrote about you and Gabby again," Macy finally said. She knew she shouldn't be making it a big deal but for some reason, it just bothered her all the time.

"Macy, why are you reading her stuff? You know they're all lies," Nick told her.

"I know," she answered. "But do you know she called me a 'third wheel'? Ugh. I swear to God if I ever see her in person, I'm going to give her a piece of my mind!"

Nick laughed because last year proved what Macy was capable of when she beat up Penny over him.

"Macy, don't get upset over what she says," Nick said as he hugged her.

"I'm not upset…it's just frustrating," Macy admitted as she snuggled her head against his chest. "Sometimes I wish…"

But she caught herself before she said something that might upset Nick.

"Sometimes you wish what?"

"Nothing…" Macy said because she really wanted to say that sometimes she wished that Nick would just come out and say that they were a couple.

"No really. I want to know what you wanted to say."

So making something right on the spot, she said, "Sometimes I wish you weren't that famous so that we could hold hands in public."

"_Mace…" _Nick said as he embraced her. "I know it's difficult but please just be patient with me. Just know that no matter what anyone says, I love you and only you."

"Thanks, Nick," Macy said because she really needed to here that.

"Macy! Here's your key for your room!" Sandy called out to her.

"I'll help you with your stuff," Nick offered as he helped Macy with her luggage.

And when he brought her bags up to the room which she shared with Gabby, Nick knew it was time to give back what was rightfully hers.

"Macy…um…I have something to give you," Nick said as he rummaged through his satchel that he was known to carry.

"Ooooh! What is it!" Macy said excitedly thinking that it was a present he bought for her.

"Here, you-uh- left this on my bed," Nick said when he handed her back her diary.

"My diary? I didn't even realize I left it there. Thanks, Nick," she said as she took her notebook from him but then she eyed him suspiciously and asked. "_Did you read it?"_

"Huh? Uh…N-no I didn't read it…" Nick lied as he stared at the floor.

"_Okaaaay…" _she said not sure if she believed him. She started unpacking her stuff.

However, Nick needed to get something off his chest and so he said, "I can't believe you liked Joe!"

"You said you didn't read it!"

"Of course, I read it!" Nick continued. "It fell and I saw what you wrote about Joe. But Joe? Really? I can't believe you liked him before me!"

"It was a long time ago, Nick," Macy said as she started putting her clothes into her drawers. "And you said you wouldn't get jealous, remember?"

"I'm not jealous. I'm just surprised, that's all," Nick admitted. "It's just that it's weird for me to know that you felt attracted to Joe _in that way."_

"_Nick, _you know how I was back then. I was like obsessed with you guys," Macy said. "It was a stupid fan-girl crush."

"Really? You didn't really like him?"

"No. Besides, my feelings for you are in a totally different level than my feelings for Joe," Macy said. "I just thought he was really cute."

"You thought Joe was cute?" Nick repeated quietly.

Macy knew _that voice. _It was the voice Nick used when he felt insecure about himself. But honestly, she thought it was really ridiculous that Nick would ever feel insecure about himself. He was perfect in every way.

"Nick, you know I only look at you," Macy said while she walked over to him to give him a warm embrace. "Because you're the only guy I want in the whole wide world and there's no way I'm going to let anyone else have you."

"_Mace…"_ he said affectionately and he was about to lean in for a kiss but Macy put a finger to his lips to stop him.

"_But don't think I'm not disappointed in you," _Macy said sternly.

"What? Why?"

"You read my freakin' diary!" Macy said. "If that's not an invasion of privacy then I don't know what is!"

"I told you it fell on the floor and I just happened to look at it," Nick reasoned out.

"_Uh-huh, like I believe that."_

"Seriously, Mace, that's what happened," Nick tried to defend himself.

"So you're still sticking with that story, huh?" Macy said as she shook her head. "But I guess I can't blame you."

"I told you it just fell and—wait. What? Are you forgiving me?"

"Yeah. I mean I know this dry spell is affecting you and I mean _you are a guy_. I heard somewhere that if a guy doesn't do it for quite some time it affects his judgment," Macy said matter-of-factly. "But we need to refrain from doing that because we don't want to get in trouble again."

"_Wait a minute. You think I read your diary because I had a lack of judgment since we haven't had sex?_"

"Exactly," Macy said not realizing that Nick was taking offense at what she said at all.

This time Nick couldn't believe what he was hearing and so he retorted, "I don't need to have sex to think straight."

"Oh I beg to differ," Macy said as she stared at him straight in the eyes. "We all know I have the bigger tolerance when it comes to abstaining from doing that."

"_WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"_ Nick exclaimed because he really couldn't believe what she was saying. "If anyone has the bigger tolerance in this relationship, it would be me!"

"You got to be kidding me! You're the one who wants to do it every time you get jealous."

"Fine but you're the one who always wants to have sex every time we have to say good-bye," Nick pointed out.

"Hey! That's doesn't count because that's only conditional. Besides, you're the one always trying to seduce me every time we try to study with each other," Macy answered back.

He pursed his lips because she got him there but then he remembered one _VERY important detail. _

"If memory serves me right, we wouldn't be having sex in the first place if it wasn't for you," Nick replied. "You were the one who wanted to take our relationship to the next level before I did, remember? _That just proves you wanted it more than I did."_

"_Oh no, you did not just go there!_" Macy said sternly.

"_I already did."_

"Is this what I think this is?" Macy finally asked him as they stared each other down.

"Yup. Let's make a bet." Nick finally said. "The first one to cave into temptation is the one with lower tolerance."

"So what you're saying is that whoever initiates sex first, loses?"

"Exactly."

"Hm…let's raise the stakes then. Not just sex. How about we add kissing and making out as well," Macy said as she put her face close to his to the point that it would take little effort to close the gap between them.

"Fine, you have a deal. No kissing or making out," Nick said as he put his hand out to shake on it. "Let the best man w—

"Or woman."

Nick smiled and corrected himself, "_Fine. Let the best man or woman win._"

And with that, Nick and Macy shook on it and made it official.

A _battle of seduction _it is!

* * *

**Closing Remarks:**

I know it's been awhile. But I hope you enjoyed it. It's a pretty long chapter. Who do you think will cave in first? I think this story will end in two more chapters. I don't think I'm going to have a separate chapter for an epilogue. The reason why it's taking me so long to update this is because I have been so busy with school and other stuff.

Anyway, one of my readers, Gemmaaaaa created a trailer for my story 'A Brother's Betrayal' which you can find in her channel MrsNickLucas on youtube. The direct link is on my profile.

It's so good. Check it out and leave a comment! And if anyone wants to create a trailer for my other stories PM me for my permission, which I would most likely give. And I'll post it on my profile!

I also have a channel on youtube under the name ThePenelope36. I put a link on my profile so feel free to check that out too.

Please read and REVIEW! I love to hear your comments! Thanks!

-Penelope36


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's note:** GUESS WHO'S BACK? LOL. Anyway, sorry for the month long delay. March was a pretty hectic and eventful month: drama, spring break, and midterms. Everything was overwhelming me so it took me awhile to write this chapter. Plus, this is the final month of my senior year in college so I'm trying to do a lot before I graduate. I can't wait for summer but I'm definitely going to miss dorming and my roomies! So basically real life was affecting my schedule on finishing this :-( But I promise to finish this story ASAP. Well, this chapter is pretty long. It's almost 17,000 words, which is my longest chapter yet. Hopefully you enjoy it!

* * *

**Chapter 13 Battle of Seduction**

"STELLA!" Macy greeted her best friend over the phone. "I FREAKIN' MISS YOU!"

"MACCCYYYY!" the fashion designer in the making greeted her with equal enthusiasm. "It's so good to hear from you! We have a lot to catch up on!"

"Totally," the brunette girl agreed. "Speaking of which, how are you holding up with those rabid JONAS fans that are threatening your life over Joe?"

"Oh my god! It's insane," Stella replied. "I had to change all my passwords online because someone hacked into my email account. Seriously, some girls are just plain scary."

"Tell me about it."

"Anyway, I saw a picture of you and Nick on the Celebrity Brat's page," she brought up. "Sooner or later it will be your turn to taste the _wrath _of Nick's fans once they find out that you guys are together."

"I dunno, Stells," Macy said a bit sadly. "Nick doesn't want to bring that up at all."

"Well, that's good," Stella said. "I don't see why he would though, since Nick is careful not to show any PDA at all."

"I guess so," Macy said quietly.

"Macy, are you okay?"

"Huh?"

"You sound a bit sad," she pointed out.

"It's just that I hate when Nick's in tabloids because they're usually lies but when they label me as a 'third wheel' in a date he was _-quote unquote-_ supposed to be with Gabby…it's just hard for me to not feel jealous…"

"Awww, Mace," Stella said comfortingly. "Don't let it get to you."

"And sometimes I wish Nick would just be like _'Macy's my girlfriend so please get your facts straight_'," she continued to vent out. "But of course, he'll never do that."

"Well, did you try talking to him about it?"

"Sorta…but you know him…He wants to keep _everything_ out of the public eye."

"_Mace…"_

"No, it's fine," Macy said gloomily but then she brightened up her tone and said. "Anyway, enough about me. What's going on with you?"

"Well, you know FIT is everything I could ever want in a school. All my professors say I have talent and they even plan to use one of the cocktail dresses I made in one of the fashion shows they're hosting," Stella said excitedly. "Seriously, I can't wait to officially start my semester in September!"

"Awww, Stells! I'm so happy for you but it's making me depressed since I won't get to see you as much anymore," Macy said. "Once you, Joe, and Kevin start college, you'll be doing your own thing."

"Mace, that's why you need to come and visit me during the weekends," Stella piped in. "Besides, it's only four more days before I get to join you guys on tour!"

"YAY! I CAN'T WAIT!" Macy practically screamed on the phone. "I am so excited! I love Nick and all but sometimes I wish I could have my best girl friend in the world to hang out with."

"I know! Me too!" Stella agreed.

"We're going to have so much fun! Everyone here is so nice," Macy said. "And you're going to love Gabby. She's so sweet."

"_Really?_ The last time I heard, she was the one causing you and Nick so much trouble," Stella mentioned.

"That was before. But she means well. She's not trying to come between me and Nick at all," Macy elaborated. "Besides, she has a boyfriend now. She's really cool."

"Oh okay," Stella said. "That's good. Can't wait to meet her and everyone! Anyway, I should go. My next class starts in five minutes. Marc Jacobs is coming in to speak to us."

"Oh WOW! That's exciting," Macy said excitedly. "I'll talk to you later then."

" 'Kay. Love ya!"

"Love you, too, Stells!"

_It was nice hearing her voice._ During times like these, Macy wished she could be with her best friend, Stella Malone. But it would be four days until they were reunited and then the whole gang will be back together. _Macy was, without a doubt, super excited. _

It was still a couple of hours till the boys needed to get ready for tonight's show so Macy was thinking of taking a nice break and relax. The room she shared with Gabby had a balcony with two lounging chairs. She wanted to finish reading the romance novel she took with her there and meet up with Nick later for dinner but her plans were interrupted when Gabby came running into the room.

"Macy! Macy!" she called out in her overzealous voice.

"What is it, Gabs?"

"Is there something going on between you and Nick? Because I was downstairs and I overheard Nick saying something about a bet to his brothers and when I asked him about it, he wouldn't budge," Gabby explained. "It was like he was plotting something against you. But I know it can't be anything bad because you guys are cool, right? Don't tell me you guys are fighting over the recent post the Celebrity Brat made?"

"No, of course not!" Macy said while laughing out loud because she found it amusing how serious Nick was taking their bet. "It's a stupid bet. But I know I'm going to win hands down. No questions asked."

"_Ooooh! This actually sounds juicy!_" Gabby said excitedly as she sat down at the foot of her bed. "Do you mind if I ask what it's all about?"

"Well, ever since Nick and I were caught_...wait…um…_" Macy started off saying but she stopped herself before she said too much. _She liked Gabby, she really did_ but she wasn't sure if she should divulge this piece of information to her.

"Caught doing what?" she asked her curiously and then she said jokingly because she really thought the possibility of this happening was slim to none. "_Don't tell me you guys were caught having sex."_

Gabby was laughing out loud because that statement was completely absurd. Never in a million years would Gabriella Ramos believe that Nick Lucas, the most prim and proper boy to ever walk the planet, would violate his promise to stay pure before marriage. _He was a stand-up gentleman, who was perfect in every way. _But Gabby would have continued laughing at her absurd notion if it wasn't for Macy, who by now was turning a very dark shade of red.

"_Wait a minute. Did you and Nick actually…do the deed?" _Gabby asked in a hushed tone with eyes widened with anticipation and intrigue.

"Uh…_yeah…we…um… did that,"_ Macy replied slowly. "But you can't tell anyone, Gabby, please, because you never know who you can trust because I don't want this piece of information getting leaked out to the press. It can destroy Nick's image completely."

Macy could see it now. _If the Celebrity Brat ever found out that Nick wasn't the virgin boy everyone thought he was_, she would not hesitate to call Macy the tramp who dared to steal the innocence of the pure and wholesome Nick Lucas. Even if she got her facts straight, Macy knew well enough that it was in the Celebrity Brat's nature to bad mouth anyone she didn't like.

"Of course I won't tell anyone but _wow!_ Nick isn't a virgin?I would've never thought that he'd go back on his promise," Gabby said. "I mean I can see Joe breaking it, but Nick? I would NEVER guess he would give in to temptation. He must really love you for him to do that."

"_He does,_" Macy said dreamily as she thought fondly of her boyfriend. "But ever since his parents found out that we _were doing it, _Nick and I decided to abstain from having sex. And so we made a bet on who has the higher tolerance. Nick thinks I can't last that long. But I beg to differ."

"You mean you guys are betting on who can last longer without having sex?" Gabby said with a highly amused expression on her face. "_This is going to be interesting."_

Macy laughed and said, "Yeah, that's why I need to prove to Nick that he wants it more than I do."

"I can help you with that," Gabby said confidently. "I overheard the boys planning on chilling by the pool this afternoon. _Why don't you give your boyfriend a little show to make him cave into his desires..."_

"And how am I going to do that?" Macy said sounding very interested because even though Nick seemed to be giving their bet a lot of thought, Macy hasn't really invested any time at all in thinking of ways to make him crumble.

"Well, I have this swimsuit that you will look so hot in," Gabby said as she opened her luggage to search for it. "Every time I wear it, all the guys can't stop staring at me."

"It's probably because you have a killer body, Gabby," Macy pointed out. "I bet any bathing suit you wear will make all the guys go _gaga_ over you."

"_Oh puh-lease_," Gabby said as she finally stopped rummaging through her bag. "This bathing suit will make you look like a goddess. Plus, it's leopard print."

And with that, Gabby held up a very revealing two-piece.

"Um…_Gabby I can't wear that,"_ Macy said as she looked at the two pieces of clothing that wouldn't even be enough to cover a small child completely.

"Of course, you can," Gabby said as she shoved her bathing suit in her hands. "The great thing about this is that if you wear the top at just the right angle you can show him enough cleavage to make him want to see more, _if you know what I mean."_

"But that's the thing, Gabby, I don't have cleavage at all," she replied honestly. "I don't think I can pull this off."

"Macy! Trust me! Wear this and your boy will be crawling up to you begging you for sex," Gabby said exasperatingly. "Just wear it!"

"Are you sure this will do the trick?" Macy said doubtfully because she really believed that she can never be as sexy as Gabriella.

"That and maybe this as well," Gabby said when she handed her a pair of heels. "_And this is what you need to do…"_

It was a beautiful day and the sun was shining brightly while there was a nice summer breeze blowing in the wind. Their parents and Frankie went around Myrtle Beach to look for a venue to hold the eight-year-old's birthday party for tomorrow, but the boys wanted to take full advantage of the amenities that the hotel had to offer. That's why Nick, Joe, and Kevin were lounging in the chairs by the pool talking about everything and anything.

"I give you a day," Kevin said as he took a sip of his virgin pina colada.

"Yeah, because there's no way in hell you're going to last without getting some," Joe said as he lay back on his lounging chair and tilted his hat to cover his eyes from the blazing sun rays.

"What are you guys talking about! I can last longer than that," Nick retorted.

"Fine. Maybe a week," his oldest brother said.

"Nah, I think he'll cave in less time than that," Joe said matter of factly. "I say three days."

"Wow. Some faith you guys have in me!" Nick said and then added. "How about you Joe? Isn't Stella coming soon?"

"Yup, she is," Joe said. "But unlike you I didn't make a ridiculous bet with my girlfriend. So while you and Macy are testing each other's _tolerance,_ Stella and I are going to be free to express our love, _if you know what I mean._"

"Just don't do it on the bus," Kevin teased while snickering. "You don't want to get in trouble with mom and dad like Nick did."

"_Shut up," _Nick said waspishly because he hated it when his brothers picked on him.

Meanwhile, Macy was still a bit uneasy about the plan. She was hiding behind a tall plant in the hotel's lobby to conceal her _appearance. _

"Oh come on, Macy! Don't be shy," Gabby said as she tried to yank her away from her hiding spot. "You look hot! Believe me. Once Nick sees you, he's going to forget about that stupid bet and you'll gain ultimate bragging rights that you have complete power over him."

"_That is very true," _Macy said as she tried to fix her bathing suit. Even though, Gabby insisted that they were the same size, the bathing suit she lent her was really tight and it really did cover _very little_. "But are you sure I don't look skanky at all? I mean is it really necessary to wear heels with this? No one really wears heels to the pool."

"You don't look skanky! And the heels complete the look," Gabby insisted. "Just practice walking how I showed you. It's more like a sashay if anything. And just keep your head held up high. Confidence is all that matters."

"_Okay_," Macy said a bit uneasily because she really felt out of her element.

Gabby peered outside and noticed the three Lucas boys on the opposite side of the pool.

"Alright, there's Nick and his brothers," Gabby said. "All you need to do is walk past him without paying him any attention because believe me, once he sees you in this, he's going to come running after you."

"Really?"

"Of course," Gabby chuckled because she really wanted to see Nick react to Macy's get-up. "Here. Wear my shades. And let me take one good look at you..._Perfect! Girl, you better flaunt what your mama gave you. Go get 'em, tiger._"

"I dunno, Gabby…"

"Trust me. You'll be fine. I wish I could stay and watch but Jeremy wants to take me out to lunch," Gabby said.

"It's fine. You go have fun. Besides, you gave me so many pointers, I think I know what to do."

And before she could respond, Gabby pushed her out to the patio that led to the pool and so Macy composed herself and started to walk towards Nick's direction.

Meanwhile, the boys were talking excitedly about sports.

"And you should have seen him do the final shot in the last quarter," Kevin continued his story. "It was epic."

"Yeah, there was only ten seconds left in the game and then—

But Nick Lucas couldn't finish his final thought because at that moment when his brothers were busy talking about last night's basketball game, there was a vision before him that left not only him but all three boys speechless.

"_Wow," _Joe finally said as he gaped at Macy, who wore a very sexy two-piece bathing suit that showed off her toned legs and flat stomach. Her years doing sports were _definitely paying off._

Nick was still speechless as his mouth hung wide open. _Where did Macy get clothes like that? _He could feel his cheeks burning up when he realized that his swimming trunks were getting very tight because the outfit she was wearing covered even less than the lingerie she usually wore. _She was showing off so much skin._

"Scratch what we said earlier," Kevin said while he was also gaping at Macy. "I give you two seconds."

Nick finally shook off the trance he was in and looked at Macy once more to make sure that was really her and not some other girl who looked like her. _But it was Macy_ because she finally took off her sunglasses as she situated herself in a lounging chair. And there she was, relaxing by the pool, with her leopard print bikini, that Nick now observed was a bit too small on her. _Oh god. He wanted her so badly. _It was taking all his will-power to stop himself from grabbing her and bringing her up to his room so that he can have his way with her.

He noticed his brothers were also enchanted by Macy's sudden change in appearance. And remembering what he found out about Macy's first crush, Nick hit the back of Joe's head and exclaimed, "Stop checking out MY girlfriend!"

"Ow! That hurt, Nick!" Joe said as he rubbed the back of his head. "Besides, I'm not the only one looking. Check out Kevin. He's practically drooling."

"Sorry, bro, but you shouldn't worry about us. We're not going to make a move on your girl," Kevin said honestly. "But I don't think I can say the same thing about that waiter that keeps chatting her up. You better go over there or else you'll be _losing more than just a bet_."

_Kevin was right. _Because when Nick looked up he noticed the young waiter practically fawning over her. _What did Macy think she was doing? _So Nick Lucas abruptly got up from his seat and walked-_no, it was more like marched_- over to where his girlfriend was sitting.

"Macy, can I have a word with you?" Nick said patiently as he glared at the over-flirtatious waiter.

"Oh, hey, Nick," Macy said as she did nothing to get away from her chair, which by now was also being occupied by the waiter, who was sitting at the end of her seat as he practically drooled over her. "Sure, we can talk. What do you have to say?"

"Can we go somewhere private?" Nick demanded.

"Oh, alright," Macy said and then turned to the waiter who seemed disappointed that she would be leaving. "It was nice meeting you, Javier."

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Macy," Javier said obviously smittened. "I hope to see you again."

And before he got up to leave he took her hand and placed a kiss on it causing Macy to blush profusely.

"AHEM!" Nick cleared his throat really loudly and it was the first time that Javier paid him any attention.

"MR. NICK LUCAS!" he said in surprise and because he didn't know what to do, he awkwardly bowed at his presence. "I'm so sorry. I didn't notice it was you. Is there anything you would like to drink? A coke? A lemonade?"

This time Nick smiled politely and said, "A lemonade sounds nice. Would you like one, too, sweetie?"

He said this as he put an arm around her shoulder and because of this, Javier, repeated, "Huh? _Sweetie?_ Wait a minute. Don't tell me you guys…_oh crap…_I'm sorry, Mr. Nick Lucas…I didn't know she was your—

"It's okay," Nick interrupted him.

"I'll get you guys lemonade," Javier said quickly. "It's on the house."

"Thanks," they both said and once he left to eagerly make their drinks, Nick quickly turned around and said to Macy, "Where on earth did you _get that outfit, Macy? _Did you forget that the last time you wore it you were like- I dunno- _five-years-old?_"

"I know it's a bit small," Macy said as she tried adjusting her bikini top, which only enticed him even more. "But I didn't have anything else to wear so Gabby lent this to me. _Do you like it?_"

Nick noted to himself that the next time he ran into Gabby he's going to tell her off for dressing his girlfriend so _provocatively. _But he wasn't going to admit to Macy that he was turned on by her outfit. If he wanted to win this bet, he needed to be as stoic and passive towards her as much as possible. Therefore, Nick lied and said, "It's okay, I guess."

"Here you guys go!" Javier said as he brought back a tray of three drinks. He handed Nick and Macy their lemonade. "And this pina colada is also for you, my dear."

"Wait. I didn't order that," Macy said as she looked at the drink he was about to give her.

"Oh I know you didn't. That gentleman over there told me to send it to you," Javier said as he turned in the direction of a man who was about thirty-years-old but he was still handsome looking _for an older guy._

"That's disgusting," Nick said as he gritted his teeth. "Don't take it, Mace."

And because Nick really didn't like the attention she was attracting he put a towel over her and turned to the man who was still eyeing her and yelled, "_SHE'S SEVENTEEN, YOU PERVERT!"_

"Nick, stop it," Macy said as she put a hand on his arm to calm him down. "Don't make a scene."

"Fine," he agreed because it really wasn't in his nature to start a fight but he really didn't like other guys eyeing his girl.

And remembering what Gabby told her she said, "Anyway, I really don't want to get sun-burnt. And it's so hot out here._ Nick, would you mind putting some sun-block on my back? I could use your help."_

Nick gulped because he could feel his body reacting to her request. _Macy was good. _She knew that he wouldn't be able to resist the softness of her skin. But he needed to be stronger than that.

"Okay...um...fine," Nick said nervously.

"Mmmm. That feels nice," Macy said as she lay on her stomach while Nick rubbed lotion on her back. She was hoping this act alone would break his resolve. "_Your hands are so strong, Nick._"

"_Y-yeah…"_Nick said quietly as he marveled at the softness and smoothness of her skin under his fingertips. _He wanted her so badly_. But he needed to shake off any form of temptation.

"_Lower, Nick_," she practically begged him when he was done applying sun-block on her shoulders. "Can you put some lower on my back?"

And he complied because there was no way he was going to stop applying lotion on her. However, she kept encouraging him to go further down to the point that he would be touching areas beyond her back. _He knew that wouldn't be appropriate in public. _But Macy turned around to face him because unbeknownst to him, she, too, was enjoying this _way too much._

"_Nick…" _she said seductively.

"Can we just…" Nick started off saying because he wanted to really say '_can we just forget about the bet.'_

"_Yes?"_ Macy said hopefully as she placed her face closer to his. _She wanted to kiss him so badly._

However, he stopped himself just in time. He was better than this because he wanted Macy to crave him more than he did her. So instead of caving in, Nick said, "You're right. It is pretty hot out here."

And before Macy could respond, Nick slowly took off his t-shirt that he was wearing. _If there was one thing he knew Macy couldn't resist it was his body._ And boy, did Nick Lucas have a body to flaunt because even though he was only seventeen, it was easy to see a six-pack slowly developing. Macy wanted to throw a towel to cover him like what he did to her since she was sure he was going to draw attention because as much as she tried to fight it, she was definitely becoming attracted to Nick. And it didn't help that he was now stretching in front of her.

"I think I'm going to take a dip in the pool," Nick said as he bent over to stretch some more. He deliberately faced the other way so that Macy could have a good view of his backside. Nick smiled to himself because he knew that Macy was _totally checking him out. _She always did say he had a nice butt.

Macy started to panic because she was now aware that she wasn't the only one being drawn to her boyfriend. There were a couple of women in their early and mid twenties who were clearly fawning over Mr. Nick Lucas. But before she could stop him, Nick jumped into the water to join his brothers, who were on the other end of the pool. He needed to cool down because he knew if he stayed with Macy a little while longer, he would have definitely lost the bet.

"Wait, Nick! Let me join you!" Macy said and she immediately chased after him. If there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was other girls flirting _with her boyfriend. _She knew Nick was doing this on purpose because they both knew that when she got very jealous Macy became very _possessive to the point that she usually became very affectionate with him._

'_It would be a matter of time before she caves in,'_ Nick thought to himself.

"Nick," Macy called out to him as she swam to his side. "You never swim in public, let alone take your shirt off for everyone to see. Remember, you said that you hate getting photographed shirtless because you want to keep your wholesome image?"

"Yeah," Nick replied casually. "But this is a private hotel so there are no paparazzi here. And so what if I went against my policy. It's not like you didn't go against yours to always dress modestly when you wore that thing that can hardly be called a bathing suit."

"Hmph! Just admit you're the weaker one out of the two of us," Macy exclaimed. "If you do, we can go upstairs and I'll give you permission _to take off my bathing suit since you hate it so much."_

Nick looked at her and really thought about what she said.

"Just one kiss to end it all," Macy said seductively as she drew her face even closer to his. It was enough for Nick to feel her breath against his lips. Macy really thought he was going to cave in since she noticed him drawing his head closer to hers. They were only centimeters away from each other. _This is it. He's going to kiss me, _she thought to herself.

But just when she was about to close her eyes to await his lips to touch hers, Nick pulled away and said, "You must be out of your mind, if you think I'll lose so easily. Don't think I'm not going to put up a fight."

_Crap. Why did her boyfriend have to be so competitive! _

"Fine, but I still think you're going to lose," Macy said quite miffed that Nick rejected her advances.

"We'll see about that," he said and then turned to his brother who was playing with a volley ball. "Throw it over here, Joe!"

She narrowed her eyes at him. _This was not going like how she wanted it to. _So while Nick was having fun playing volley ball in the pool with his brothers, Macy did her best to intercept any attempts of any girls who tried to get close to them.

"You can't go near them," Macy said as she stopped three eager teenage girls who were determined to go and talk to the Lucas boys.

"_And who are you? Their body guard?_" one of the girls said snobbily. "JOE! NICK! KEVIN! Can we have one picture with you guys?"

"HEY! THEY DON'T WANT TO BE BOTHERED," Macy said loudly but all her efforts were ignored because the boys including Nick were more than welcome to take pictures with them.

"Okay, just one," Nick said politely.

And Macy watched this all go on while she glared at them, well more specifically at Nick who didn't mind that one of the girls was practically clinging onto him. And that's why Macy found herself at the corner of the pool glaring at Nick as he now continued playing volleyball with his brothers and the group of girls, who just took pictures with them.

Even though Nick was enjoying himself, he spied Macy in the corner of his eye pouting to herself. Therefore, being the good boyfriend that he was, he swam over to her.

"What's with that face?" Nick said concerned. "Why don't you come join us and play volleyball?"

"No, thanks," Macy said waspishly. _"I don't want to interrupt the party you're having."_

"Macy, if you're going to be like this, then we should just stop the bet," Nick said as he embraced her. "I mean if its killing you so much, we'll make it a stalemate and say we both want to do it as much as the other_._"

Macy stared up at him in disbelief, "It's not because of the bet that I'm upset."

"Then what is it?"

"I just can't believe you're flirting with those girls right _in front of me!"_

"FLIRTING!" Nick repeated incredulously and he immediately let go off her. "I'm not flirting with any of them! They're really nice girls who happen to be JONAS fans. We're just playing volleyball, Mace. It's no big deal."

"_Whatever."_

"Macy, don't tell me you're upset that I'm having fun with those girls," Nick said. "It's not like you didn't flirt with some other guy right in front of me!"

"What? I never did such a thing!"

"Oh come on, Mace. You know what I'm talking about," Nick cried out. "What was that with Javier?"

"I was just talking to him. No big deal," she defended herself.

"_Macy," _Nick said sternly because he knew very well that he was right.

"OKAY FINE! I was trying to make you jealous," Macy said. "But I knew my boundaries. I didn't abandon you and go play _volleyball with him."_

"Oh my god, Macy," Nick yelled out frustratingly. "You're making this into such a big deal. What do you want me to do? Sit and pout like you? I can have fun- _innocent fun- _with other girls."

"Well, need I remind you, _Nicholas_, the last time you thought a girl wanted to have _innocent fun_ with you, she tried to tear us apart," Macy said as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"I can't believe you're comparing those girls to Penny," Nick said unbelievably. "Macy, it's not like I'm forgetting about you. I'm inviting you to come join us but you're just being stubborn."

"STUBBORN!" Macy said now outraged. "I just don't like hanging out with fake people."

"_Are you calling me fake?"_ Nick now said appalled.

"No, not you but _them_," Macy said and then narrowed her eyes at the group of girls who were giggling and flirting with his brothers.

"Macy, you're being paranoid," Nick said. "I don't know about you but I'm going to have some fun."

"_Fine," _Macy said defiantly. "Do whatever you want. But there's no chance in hell that I'm going to cave in first. _If anything, you're making it really easy for me to not feel attracted to you right now!"_

Nick rolled his eyes and joined his brothers again because Macy was really being unreasonably jealous. So while he was having fun playing games, Macy sat at the edge of the pool and at one point she thought she could make Nick jealous when a little boy approached her and told her his brother thought she was hot. This could be her opportunity to make Nick green with envy but it turned out that the brother who liked her was only _twelve years old_. Gabby was right. Her bathing suit did attract attention, _especially some unwanted attention_. At one point a group of college boys came up to her and asked if she wanted to earn some free Mardi Gras beads. She didn't know what that meant but the way they were looking at her, she knew it probably meant something gross. So she went back into the pool and pretended to ignore Nick but she was secretly watching him in the corner of her eye. And after awhile she felt bad because she knew she had been really unfair to Nick before so she wanted to apologize but at that moment one of the girls accidentally threw the ball out of the pool.

"Oh no! I'm such a klutz!" said the blonde-haired girl. "I should get it."

"No. It's alright," Nick said in his usual polite manner. "I can get it."

And because it was so quick Nick couldn't evade what happened next because the blonde haired girl upon thanking him placed a quick kiss on his cheek. This elicited a squeal of giggles from her friends while Kevin and Joe said quite loudly, "_Oh, you are so dead."_

He didn't need his brothers to tell him that because Nick could already feel Macy's death glare on him. So without looking at her, he got out of the pool to retrieve the volleyball.

Macy was fuming with rage because she saw it happen and Nick didn't do _anything to stop her. _She was pretty sure steam was coming out of her because she was _way past angry_. _She was enraged. _

She didn't even want to look at him let alone be in the same vicinity as him. So she was about to get out of the pool and go up to her room. But then she felt something odd. She felt less constrained because the bathing suit Gabby lent her was a bit tight on her so the sensation of actually being able to breathe without any restrictions was new to her. And that's when she realized much to her horror, that the bikini top she was wearing before was no longer on her. _She was half naked in a pool…IN A PUBLIC POOL NONETHELESS. _She spied her bikini tube top floating towards the opposite end of the pool but there was no way she could get it without exposing herself. She tightened her embrace around her chest in order not to give anyone a free peep show. Thankfully no one noticed the floating garment or else she would be humiliated beyond belief. How was she going to get out? She felt trapped. What will she do? And as much as she was upset with Nick right now, he was the only one she could turn to.

"NICK!" she yelled out to get his attention.

When Nick heard her call his name he let out a loud sigh because he thought he knew what was coming. He was trying to mentally prepare himself for the scolding Macy was about to give him but he needed to justify that it was just an innocent peck on the cheek and nothing more. It's not like he kissed her back. And so he turned around to face his girlfriend but he was surprised because instead of a look of anger and rage that he thought would be plastered on her face, he noticed a look of horror and worry.

"_Macy?"_ he said now concerned.

But the girl could not vocalize her worry out loud so she looked at Nick and then looked down at her chest which she was still covering tightly and then looked at the floating bikini top which was now venturing close to where those sleazy college guys were in the pool. It didn't take him long to understand the situation. So he quickly tossed the volley ball back to his brothers and immediately dove in to retrieve the floating bikini top. He needed to save his girlfriend from any form of humiliation. Once he got it without anyone noticing he swam back to Macy who by now was sheepishly looking at him.

"_Thanks, Nick_…" she said in a small voice.

"No problem," Nick said as he helped her put it back on and then added. "I'm just glad that after our little argument you asked me to help you out because you know, if you asked any other guy, it have would definitely bothered me."

"Of course, I would ask you," Macy replied honestly. "I don't trust anyone else…and about our little fight…I'm sorry about that…"

"No, it's fine," Nick said when he was done clasping her top securely, which he noticed was a difficult task since it was just _so tight on her. _"I know where you were coming from."

"But I'm really sorry," Macy said when she turned to face him to show him how sincere she was. "You can have fun with other girls if you want. Go ahead. They're waiting for you."

Nick looked over at them and the girls were waving at him to come over but he turned away from them and said, "Nah. I think I want to spend the rest of the day with my beautiful girlfriend."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And for the record, that kiss you just saw meant nothing," Nick said in his defense just in case she brought it up.

"I know…" Macy sighed because she really needed to control her jealousy. "Just don't let it happen again."

"Of course."

And so the two of them got out of the pool and shared a lounging chair in a private area away from the pool as they talked about anything that came to their minds. And there was still one thing that was bothering the brunette girl.

"But I still can't believe you read my diary, Nick," Macy said. "Dry spell or not, that was a pretty messed up thing to do."

"I know, Mace. I'm sorry," Nick apologized as he wrapped an arm around her. "Besides the whole crush on Joe, it's not like I didn't know anything else…_except well_…"

He quieted down as he felt a blush come across his cheeks.

"Except what?" Macy asked him very curiously.

And so he looked around to make sure no one else was listening and said in a barely audible voice, "About our…um…first time…together…I'm sorry that I wasn't…um…considerate about…the pain…you…um…must have felt…"

He knew his apology was long over due but it wasn't brought to his attention until he read her diary. This time Macy turned an even darker shade of red because she wasn't expecting that at all.

"Uh…it's okay…Nick…That's all in the past," Macy assured him. "I don't blame you for anything…"

"O-okay…that's good to know," Nick said with a sigh of relief because he was more than glad to hear that.

"Even though, doing it was painful at first, I'm glad it happened," Macy confessed as she looked down at her hands. "Because that was the day when you remembered who I was. I swear, Nick, if you never remembered me, I would've moved out of town because I couldn't be able to stand being around you…if I didn't have you…"

"Really?" Nick said surprised by how serious she was and then he added in a playful manner. "Then you should go thank Penny for jogging my memory."

"HAH! As if," Macy said in a mocking tone as she leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. "She's still the number one bitch in my book. I swear, Nick, if _that girl ever talked to you again, _I wouldn't hesitate to do some serious damage to her."

This time Nick laughed loudly and teased, "Well, aren't you a feisty one."

And because the two of them were in good terms, Nick placed a quick kiss on her cheek.

"AHA!" Macy said as she sat up straight and stared at him with widened eyes. "You lost the bet!"

"_WHAT?"_

"You kissed me! And we promised not to kiss each other or else that person is the first one to cave in," Macy proclaimed. "I knew you would be the first one. So now that the bet is over, let's go up to my room and have a _little celebration, if you know what I mean."_

"_Whoa, whoa, whoa_," Nick said loudly. "When we agreed not to kiss, I was under the impression that we banned kissing _on the lips only. _A kiss on the cheek is not a deciding factor on who has lower tolerance."

"A kiss is a kiss," Macy said as she got up ready to go upstairs but Nick wasn't budging.

"Macy, I didn't cave in. A kiss on the cheek means nothing," Nick retorted. "Friends kiss each other on the cheek all the time. Heck, even I kiss my grandmother on the cheek whenever I see her."

"_You did not just compare me to your grandmother!"_

"You know what I mean," Nick said as he rolled his eyes and said adamantly. "The bet still holds."

"_No, it doesn't, honey_," Macy said sweetly. "You kissed me, which means you want me more than I want you. So now that the bet is over, we should go upstairs and _make sweet passionate love to each other."_

And she tried to grab his hand so that he could follow her upstairs but he still wouldn't get up.

"Nick?"

This time the boy had a sly grin on his face and remarked, "Fine. I lost the bet. But I'm not the one so eager to _do it. _You're clearly proving my point that it's you who wants it more than I do."

"Huh?"

"I mean look at it," Nick said as he now took over her chair and leaned back with his arms folded behind his head. "I'm here just lounging around and it's you standing up in a hurry to have a quickie before the concert. Just admit it, Macy; you're the one who wants it more than I do."

"_WHAT!_ That's not true," Macy cried out. "I have more tolerance than you!"

"_Uh-huh, okaaaay,_" he replied casually. "_If you say so…."_

"NICK!" Macy said now frustrated because she didn't like how he was turning things around. "You lost the bet fair and square!"

"If that's what you think, then fine. I'll go up with you, if you really _insist_," Nick said in a an amused voice but then he faked yawn and added. "But let me take a quick nap before we do that. I need my energy especially since _you seem so eager_."

She narrowed her eyes at him and because she hated how he was behaving she cried out in frustration and said, "FINE! The bet still holds. But rest assure, Nick, I'm going to make you cave in so badly you're going to be begging for me to give you what you want."

"_We'll see about that…" _

For the rest of the day, Macy was frustrated beyond belief that Nick still hasn't caved in. But was he right that she wanted sex more than him? _No, that can't be true…Or can it?_ It didn't help that during the concert, Nick would deliberately strip his jacket and then his button-down shirt while on-stage until he wore his white v-neck. _Because Nick knew just how much Macy adored him in a white v-neck shirt. _And the brunette girl also noticed that during the concert, Nick would flex his arms more than usual. She knew this was done on purpose because Nick knew very well how much Macy loved his muscles. _He was such a babe. _But she needed to hold her ground. She needed to prove to Nick that it was him and not her who wanted sex more.

It was the next day and everyone was getting ready to go to the roller-skating rink, where Frankie wanted to celebrate his 9th birthday. Macy and Gabby were getting ready in their room for the festivities.

"ARGH!" Macy cried out frustratingly when she rummaged through her clothes. "I can't believe Nick still hasn't caved in!"

Gabby chuckled at her remark and said, "Sexually frustrated, much?"

"_No, I'm not," _Macy said defiantly. "I know he's going to cave in sooner or later. I just don't know what I could do or wear to drive him over the edge."

"_Macy, Macy, Macy_," Gabby said comfortingly as she put an arm around her shoulder. "You should have more faith in me. Even though, our plan didn't work before, I know what you can wear to make him give in."

"Gabby, I can't wear anything too revealing," Macy reasoned out. "There's going to be kids at the party."

"It's not going to be revealing," Gabby laughed out loud. "Sometimes you don't need to show that much skin to make him want you."

"What do you mean?"

"Macy, have you ever worn a wonder-bra?" Gabby asked her curiously.

"No…"

"Well, let's just say the power of this bra can do wonders," Gabby retorted while giggling. "Hahahaha!"

Meanwhile, at the venue, Frankie was having a grand time hanging out with his cousins, who lived around the area. It was perfect timing to be in South Carolina because many of their relatives lived in the state. Thus, not only was it Frankie's birthday, but it was a Lucas Family reunion as well.

"And look at you boys!" yelled their boisterous Aunt Milly, who gave each boy a big hug. "You boys sure inherited the family good looks!"

"Thanks, Aunt Milly," said Joe, Kevin, and Nick, who were helping their mom set up the table of food.

"So, tell me, are there any lucky ladies in your lives?" she pestered them as she gave Joe a playful nudge. "And you can tell me because I'm family!"

"Well, there is a girl. Her name's Stella," Joe admitted.

"Stella? Hm...that name rings a bell...Oh wait a minute! Is she the same girl that used to dress you up when you were kids?"

"Yup the very same one," Joe admitted. "And she still dresses us up. She wants to be a fashion designer."

"Oh, good for her! She seems really nice from what I could remember. And you Kevin?" she turned to the oldest Lucas boy.

"Well, it's kind of complicated," Kevin explained. "Her name's Anya but she lives in Scandinavia so we're trying to work out this long distant relationship."

"Wow, that's tough to be so far away," she replied. "But I know you'll be able to work it out."

"I hope so."

And then she smiled at Nick and because it was a custom of hers to pinch his cheeks, she asked, "And what about you, Nick? Is there a special lady in your life? Although, I looked online the other day and rumor has it that you're with that Gabby girl."

"No, I'm not with Gabby," Nick cleared that up. "But I do have a girlfriend. Her name's Macy. In fact, here she comes. Macy, come over here and meet my aunt!"

At that moment, Macy looked over and saw Nick waving to her.

"Here's your chance," Gabby whispered into her ear. "Just go up to him and you don't even have to say anything because believe me, he's going to definitely notice."

The brunette girl looked down at her bright pink shirt which was skin tight especially around the bust area, which upon wearing the wonder bra gave the illusion that she jumped two cup sizes. She wore jean short-shorts to accentuate her legs and pulled her hair back in a messy pony tail.

So making her way to her boyfriend, Macy smiled broadly at all of them but she was thinking in her head, _Nick, is definitely going to cave in. No doubt about it._

"Macy, this is Aunt Milly," Nick said as he looked quickly at both of them. "And Aunt Milly, this is…_whoa._"

The look on Nick's face was _priceless._ Because he couldn't finish saying her name since it was at that moment that he took a good look at Macy's appearance. His mouth was hanging wide open because there was definitely something different about her look, more specifically in her chest area. Since Nick shared a very intimate relationship with his girlfriend, he knew every inch of Macy's body through and through. And that's why he couldn't help but stare at Macy's chest, which somehow miraculously looked bigger.

"Hi, I'm Macy," she finally took over as she tried her best to stifle her laughter. "I'm Nick's girlfriend."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," his aunt responded as she shook her hand and smiled warmly at the pretty brunette girl.

"_Yeah…it's a pleasure to meet you, too," _Nick repeated while he was still busy staring at her chest. It was clear to everyone who- or in this case _what_ – he was addressing.

"_Someone's obviously a boob guy_," Joe whispered to Kevin, who was now chuckling to himself.

"Well, I should help your mother out," their Aunt Milly announced. "You know how stressed out she can be when she hosts parties!"

And when she left, Nick pulled Macy aside from everyone else and took her to the back corner.

"_Macy, what is going on here?" _Nick said while he looked down at her chest once more. "Since when did you-uh- become…_bigger?_"

"Oh, wow it's that noticeable, huh?" Macy said in fake surprise because she knew fully well that her wonder bra was doing wonders alright. "I just tried on a new bra. It really does push them up to look bigger. But do you like it?"

She looked up at him anticipatingly as she put her hands on her hips while waiting for his response. It was really fun to see Nick flustered.

Nick wanted to yell out and say _yes, he loved it. _But he refrained himself, and said, "It's…uh…okay…I guess…"

"_You know Nick..._" Macy said seductively as she ran one finger down the front of his shirt. "If you want, I can show you my new bra…_in private…"_

_Macy was good_ and she knew it too because she was seductively dangling the bait in front of him. _She was just so irresistible. _He really wanted to kiss her. _Maybe he should just give in and put an end to his misery._

But before he could succumb to his trance, he was luckily interrupted when his mother yelled out, "Get your roller skates if you want to get in the rink!"

Shaking any last thought of conceding to Macy, Nick said, "We should go get our skates before they run out."

And so he left Macy by herself as he walked quickly away because he knew if he was left alone with her for a few more seconds, he would definitely cave in. After that, the party was in full swing. Frankie was having a ball with his cousins. Even though Nick, Joe, Macy, and Gabby were the oldest ones on the rink, they joined the kids play a round of skate-tag. Usually Nick was the most competitive one out of the bunch but it didn't help that Macy was skating in front of him and all he could stare at was her behind. Since when did Macy wear short-shorts? It really made her legs look longer than usual. And if his eyes weren't mistaken, her legs seemed to be really shiny. She must have rubbed lotion on them or something. _It was really distracting. _

"JOE! I'M COMING AFTER YOU!" yelled Frankie who was a pro at skating and was in the middle of chasing his older brother down in their "friendly" game of tag.

"AHH! MOVE OUT OF THE WAY NICK!" Joe screamed as he swerved past him. While the youngest Lucas boy was a pro in skates, Joe, on the other hand, was a beginner to say the least. He could move alright but once he gained momentum there was no way of stopping him. Thus, panic struck in him at that moment because he didn't know how to maneuver his way around the crowd to escape from Frankie. "MACY—

Joe started to warn the brunette girl but the moment she turned around to see what the commotion was all about, he rammed into her. And the two of them fell to the ground with Joe landing on top of Macy, face to face. Everyone burst into laughter because it was just like Joe to be a klutz.

"Sorry about that, Macy," Joe apologized but then he felt his cheeks burn red when he realized how close he was to his brother's girlfriend. He could feel her chest pressed against his and he was just about to get off of her when he felt someone grab the back of his shirt and practically pulled him away. When he saw who it was, he sheepishly said, "_Oh, hey Nick_."

But his brother looked livid and didn't say anything.

Macy was in the process of getting up while she said, "It's okay, Joe. I don't think I have any broken bones. So it's all good. Thanks, Nick but I think I can get up myself—OH!"

She was cut off short because at that moment her boyfriend paid her no attention and instead, he grabbed her hand and pulled her up and dragged her off the rink.

"Nick, where are we going?" she asked him curiously because he was squeezing her hand tightly.

But he stayed silent and they were now walking into a long corridor. He really had no particular destination to go to but he was determined to get some _privacy. _So the first door he opened which was a storage room was good enough for him. Pulling her inside, he closed the door.

Macy didn't know what to expect because he kept pacing back and forth in front of her muttering to himself.

"Nick, what's up? You seem so out of it?"

"Can you blame me, Macy! You can't dress like that in front of everyone. I mean okay I know this is for the bet and all but to flaunt your body like that!"

"Hey! I wasn't flaunting my body!" Macy said a bit offended by his statement.

"Really? Then why are you wearing a push-up bra?" Nick retorted. "And I saw the way Joe was looking at you. And the way he just fell on you…it's so disgusting."

"What are you talking about? Joe didn't fall on me on purpose!"

"Really? And how do you know that?"

"Are you mental? Why would he do that in the first place?"

"So he can get your attention and flirt with you," he replied miserably.

This time Macy burst out laughing. She knew Nick was being insecure but this was really comical if anything.

"Nick, do you honestly think Joe was planning to sweep me off my feet, _like literally and figuratively,_ and make me fall in love with him? He's dating my best friend for crying out loud!"

"Yeah, but you know Joe is a hopeless flirt," Nick answered back as he looked down at his hands. He knew he was being unreasonably jealous but he couldn't help it. "And the fact that you used to have a crush on him. I was afraid…"

But he didn't finish that last sentiment and went silent.

"Afraid of what?" Macy said now thoughtfully as she grabbed his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"N-nothing…"

But she knew better and so she said the exact thought that was running through his mind but he was too afraid to say out loud, "You were afraid that I would flirt back with Joe and that I would like him again?"

The boy let out a loud sigh of frustration because she hit it right on the spot.

"It's stupid, I know," he replied shamefully.

"No, it's not," Macy said as she now embraced him tightly. She rested her head against his chest. "I only wore this for you because I want you and only you, Nick. I didn't want to make you jealous or anything like that."

She looked up at him and the moment she did that, Nick closed the gap between them and kissed her passionately on the lips. _It's been so long. _She felt him wrap his arms around her tightly. And she followed suit and pressed her body against his. _He wanted her so badly. _

"_Yes, Nick…" _she moaned when he began kissing her neck fiercely. Her hand slinked down and she cupped him gently over his jeans, which elicited a satisfying groan to come out of his mouth. _"I've been waiting for this."_

Meanwhile, Nick couldn't control his sexual urge to have her then and now. He looked over and saw that there was conveniently a couch in the room they were in. He carried her there. And their make out session continued to even steamier heights. Nick was in the process of removing his shirt over his head when he heard Macy laugh out loud.

"What's so funny?" Nick said as he now put his shirt back down.

This time Macy propped herself up on her elbows and smiled at him, "I knew I was right all along. You caved in first and that just proves my point that I have higher tolerance than you. I'm actually surprised that you lasted this long. Hahahahaha."

Her response made him sit back and think about his actions. _Macy was right. _Every time he got jealous, he had this constant urge to "renew" their love in the most intimate way possible. What kind of guy was he to always use sex as a confirmation of their love for each other? This wasn't classy at all especially in a dusty old room with a dingy old couch. _It was unsanitary if anything. _

"You're right…" Nick said upset by her revelation. Did Macy despise him for always using sex as a way to solve their problems?

However, she didn't pick up on his body language and instead began kissing him again. She tried helping him out of his shirt once more and while doing so, she whispered seductively in his ear, _"And now that the bet is over, we can make love again and again and again. Aren't you happy, Nick?"_

She was about to kiss him one more time but Nick held her away from him at arm's length and said, "This needs to change."

"HUH?" Macy said completely taken aback. Because she really wanted to be with Nick. "What are you talking about? The bet's over. We can go back to what we normally do so let's just celebrate. Come on. I know you want to."

Instead of returning Macy's advances, Nick fixed his shirt and got up.

"No, we shouldn't treat sex this casually," he replied. "Before I broke my promise I swore that if I ever gave myself to anyone, it would be special. And this right here, in a storage room on a dirty couch is not special at all."

"Then let's go back to the hotel," Macy reasoned out as she straightened out her appearance. "It's not that far. I have my key—

However, Nick put his hand on her shoulder and said, "No, we shouldn't. And you're right that I have lower tolerance but I should try to fix that and be more like you. I mean look at you. Not once did you give into temptation. And I don't want to be one of those sleazy boyfriends who just want to _do it_ all the time."

This was not turning out how she hoped it would. Nick lost the bet and he still wanted to prove that he was a gentleman?

"Nick, it's okay," Macy insisted as she moved closer to him. "You're a guy. And I understand that sometimes guys need to do it to relieve some stress so it's okay with me. You can have me right now."

But he just shook his head and said, "No, Mace. I'm sorry for coming on to you like this. I let my jealousy get the best of me and you were going to do it just for my sake."

"But—

"No, I feel so ashamed of myself," Nick said as he shook his head in disappointment. "I'm sorry."

"But Nick—

"I know I lost the bet," Nick said sadly. "But I'm not going to use that as an excuse to just do it with you. You don't deserve that. I'll make it up to you. I promise."

Macy was left speechless as she watched Nick walk out of the room with his head hanging down solemnly.

And when he was gone, Macy fell back on the couch and yelled out in frustration. _Why was Nick being so difficult?_ He lost so shouldn't he just claim his prize? It's not like he was pressuring her. Maybe she did tease him a lot for being so easy to tempt that he ultimately felt ashamed for acting so forward with her. She knew Nick hated to lose but somehow she knew this was more than just the measly bet.

Macy tried to enjoy the rest of Frankie's birthday party but she couldn't concentrate because she _really wanted to be with Nick. _But her boyfriend was acting very gentlemanly around her. She loved that and all but she didn't understand why Nick had to act like that now. _He didn't do anything wrong. _He was the one with lower tolerance…_not her. _But then why was it bugging her so much that Nick just suddenly decided to uphold his dignity and abstain from having sex. He's a guy for crissake! Boys always think about sex, don't they? Wasn't it part of their nature? Macy was getting very agitated. Does she really have higher tolerance?When she went back to her room, there was a bouquet of a dozen red roses from Nick. The card read:

_Dear Macy,_

_I'm sorry for acting the way I did. You deserve better. The next time we ever get in that situation again I promise it's going to be special and not just a way to satisfy my urges. I love how understanding you are. I'm going to try and be more like you. This bet really made me see how I shouldn't be so casual with doing that type of thing. You are my everything, Macy. And I promise to treat you in the most respectable way from now on._

_With the greatest love a guy can ever offer,_

_Nick_

The flowers were a nice gesture. And she felt bad that Nick felt ashamed that he lost the bet. The bet was, in all honesty, a battle of the sexes. Macy wanted to prove to Nick that she had more self-control. But now that the bet was over, it was killing her that Nick didn't just go for it. Because if she was really being honest with herself, Macy knew that she wanted to do it just as much as Nick did. However, she didn't want to appear that weak. Macy tried to shrug it off but even at night her dreams took a sensual turn and all she could think about was her body pressing against his in the most intimate way possible.

She needed to dangle the bait one more time and maybe Nick's resolve would finally break down because it had to be Nick who wanted it more than she did. Macy didn't want to feed into Nick's ego and cave into her desires, even if it matched his.

However, any plan she came up with, had to be put on hold because the boys had a "Meet & Greet" planned for the day in the hotel's lobby. Nick and his brothers were getting ready to meet their fans and as much as Nick Lucas wanted to make sure his appearance was picture perfect he couldn't help but notice Macy staring at him from a distance. For the past two days, she had been doing that a lot. He tried to read her expression but it was a mix of want and hopelessness. However, he knew that couldn't be it because the Macy he knew didn't give into her desires. So he walked over to her and said, "Did you get the flowers I sent you?"

"Yes, I did. And thank you. They're beautiful," she replied as she gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "But, Nick, you shouldn't feel bad. I don't blame you for acting like that. It's not like you forced yourself on me."

"I know but losing the bet made me realize, that I shouldn't treat _sex_ so casually," Nick whispered because he didn't want anyone else to hear their conversation. "The next time we do it, I want it to happen because _we both _want it to happen. It can't be one-sided."

Macy bit her lip because she was using all her will power to stop herself from saying that she wanted to do it too. Otherwise, the outcome of the bet wouldn't hold and it would be a stalemate. If there was one thing, Nick and Macy had in common it was that neither of them liked to lose. But before Macy could respond, his dad was calling him over because it was time to meet the fans.

"I gotta go, Mace," Nick said as he embraced her one more time. "Are you going to stay and watch?"

"Of course," Macy said and then teased. "I need to make sure none of the fans flirt with you."

Even though he knew Macy was joking, Nick knew that she was partly serious. He laughed it off and kissed her one more time before heading out.

And just like she told Nick, Macy stood with Frankie and Mrs. Lucas as she watched the boys interact with their fans. And while none of the other boys were on a tight leash, Nick would occasionally glance at Macy every time a "hot" girl tried to act all flirty with him and his brothers. Of course, Joe was eating it up because he loved getting attention from the opposite sex but he always knew the boundaries. Joe loved Stella so much that he would never betray her. And while Kevin was a free agent, he would always welcome any form of flattery a girl gave him. However, judging by the glare Macy would give overzealous fans, Nick knew to behave in a distant manner to girls that came on too strong. He wasn't cold or anything like that but every time they took pictures, Nick made sure not to lay his hand on any of the girls Macy thought were a "danger". And every time a girl tried to put her hands on him, Nick would kindly push her hand away. He knew this made Macy happy because she would always beam at him for acting like a good boyfriend. Although, he didn't bother looking at Macy if a young girl came up to him. They were no threat whatsoever. That's why when a five-year-old girl came up to them carrying a single rose, Nick crouched down and gave the young girl a hug.

"Is that rose for me?" Nick asked her sweetly.

And immediately the young girl turned a bright shade of red. There was a resounding wave of "awws" coming from the crowd but something surprising happened. Instead of giving the rose to Nick the young girl shook her head and pointed to Joe.

"_Oh…it's for Joe…"_Nick said a bit crestfallen but he tried to laugh it off. He could tell his brothers were trying their best to stifle their laughter. However, the same couldn't be said for Macy and Frankie, who were not ashamed about laughing their heads off.

"_Macy…" _Nick said under his breath as he glared at his girlfriend who was very amused that her boyfriend was rejected by a five-year-old girl.

After that incident, Macy loosened up and let Nick enjoy the rest of the JONAS "Meet & Greet". However, the main reason why she didn't care as much was because the next wave of fans to meet them were 8 years old and younger. Some of their fans were really quite adorable. There was a girl in a wheelchair who was about seven-years-old and apparently it was her birthday so the boys sang an acapella version of _Happy Birthday_. During times like these, Macy couldn't help but imagine what kind of dad Nick would be. He was really great with kids and it melted her heart just how kind he really was._ He was the perfect Prince Charming._ Before she knew it she had to snap out of her reverie because the next group of fans were teenage girls who seemed to be in a contest of wearing as little clothing as much as possible. Macy glared at each and every one of them because one girl wore a mini skirt so short that if she ever bent over, she would need to cover Frankie's eyes just so he wouldn't see anything inappropriate. And it didn't help that some of the girls were early bloomers who wore skin tight tank tops. Macy suddenly felt insecure about her appearance. Maybe she should have worn the push-up bra that day. But Nick knew better so he kept his distance from any girl he knew that would upset Macy. He glanced over a few times to smile at her because he wanted her to know that he was thinking about her the whole time.

And if it couldn't get even worse, a group of five girls came up to meet the boys. They weren't wearing anything provocative- just shirts and jean shorts. She didn't see it at first but the boys definitely did and immediately burst into laughter even Nick, who Macy now saw was a bright shade of red but he was amused nonetheless. And when the group of five girls turned around to take a picture with them, Macy understood what the whole commotion was about. The writing on the shirt was enough to make Macy Misa boil with anger because it read: _Nick is a JILF. _She was clenching her fists and she tried to get Nick's attention so that he understood that she wasn't okay with this at all. But Nick along with his brothers found the cheeky shirts to be really funny.

"Macy?" Frankie said as he tugged her shirt to get her attention. "What's a JILF?"

She stared at him with widened eyes because there was no way she was going to tell him what a JILF is.

"It's just a stupid...um...nickname…" Macy tried to explain.

"A nickname? Hm…But what does it mean when you call someone a JILF? And why is Nick one? Am I one, too?" asked the curious boy.

However, Macy could feel her cheeks burning up because she had no idea how she could get herself out of this one. But she did her best and said, "No, Frankie, you are not a JILF. In fact, Nick shouldn't even be flattered because t_hat word is such a derogatory term. Those girls are nothing but crazy hormone-driven fans, who are delusional to even think that Nick could ever be interested in them. It's so tacky that they would wear a shirt like that especially when there are families here who can see them. Who do they think they are? And look at your brother with that stupid grin on his face. How could he smile and—_

"WHOA, Macy, chill out!" Frankie said as he took a step away from her. His crush on her was definitely slowly dying down because it was pretty scary every time Macy went off on one of her rants. "So it's wrong to call someone a JILF? But I still don't understand what it means?"

"Frankie, you're too young to know that."

"NO, I'm not! I'm nine-years-old now. Besides, didn't you always say I was mature for my age?" the young boy said in defiance.

"_Frankie, you're still too young."_

"Hmph! Fine, if you won't tell me, I'm going to ask them myself," the young boy said angrily and stormed away.

However, even though Macy didn't want Frankie to be mad at her, she didn't have time to lament over it because when she looked at Nick again he was in the middle of talking to the group of girls, who were blatantly flirting with him.

"Can we have a hug, Nick?" one of the girls asked.

"Go ahead, bro," Joe snickered and he pushed him into one of the girls.

Macy was fuming with anger. She wanted to kill Joe for goading them on but what made her angrier was that Nick actually took time to hug each and every one of those bimbos. _Was Nick making her jealous on purpose?_ She wanted to go over there and tear them away from him. Nick was obviously enjoying the attention.

After awhile, the boys were able to enjoy a small break before their afternoon session of their "Meet & Greet". Joe and Kevin were still laughing about the whole 'JILF' incident.

"Well, aren't you a pimp!" Kevin teased.

"Shut up, Kev," Nick said tersely as he went over to the refreshment stand to grab something to eat. "Where's Macy?"

"I dunno. Wasn't she with Frankie?" Kevin said as he was stuffing his face with donuts.

"She was but I don't see her. Let me give her a call," Nick said as he began rummaging through his back pocket. "Crap. I think I forgot my phone in my dressing room. I'll be back."

He was on his way to his room when suddenly the door flew open and a pair of hands grabbed him inside. Immediately, the Lucas boy was engulfed in a rather intense French-kiss.

"_H-hey…Macy…where is this…all coming…from…?"_ Nick managed to say while Macy practically attacked his body. She was in the process of kissing his lips while dragging him to the couch in his dressing room.

It didn't seem like the brunette girl was planning on answering his question any time soon because she was now vehemently unbuttoning his shirt so that she could kiss down his chest. She pushed him down so that he was laying on his back and she was moments away from unbuckling his belt. And as much as Nick was getting very turned on by her right now, he needed to know what was up. Thus, before she could have her way with him, he quickly sat up and held her at arm's distance away from him so that he could take a good look at her face.

"Macy, what's this all about?" Nick asked her curiously. "Is something bothering you?"

He remembered this type of behavior clearly in the beginning of the summer when Macy was desperate to just do it without any explanation.

"It's just that…" she started off saying as she felt a blush come across her face. But then she said in a rather upset tone, "I can't believe those _whores_ were all over you and you didn't seem bothered at all!"

"Whores? _Huh? What are you talking about?" _Nick said in complete shock.

"Don't act dumb with me, Nicholas," Macy said sternly. "Those girls who wore those really obnoxious 'Nick is a JILF' shirts! What were they thinking!"

"_Oh that," _Nick said while he chuckled softly because he still found it quite amusing but Macy found no humor in it at all and punched him on the arm. "Ow! That hurt!"

"Well, that's what you get for flirting with them!"

"_Not this again,"_ Nick said exasperatingly. "_I wasn't flirting with them, Mace_."

"Yes, you were! And that's why I need to remind you that _you're mine and only mine_," Macy said as she took off her shirt so that she would be properly dressed- or in this case properly undressed- for the occasion.

'Ma-cy…hold…on for a sec…" Nick tried to say but Macy was making it very clear that she wanted him in the most sensual way possible. "Wait, Macy!"

"What?" she said a bit hurt and confused.

"Are you really jealous of those girls?" Nick asked her a bit surprised because those girls were nothing compared to her. Macy should know that

His girlfriend let out a loud sigh while she leaned back on the sofa as she folded her shirt in front of her.

"It just really makes me mad that some of your fans are so obnoxious like that. Like seriously what were they thinking wearing those type of shirts in a 'Meet & Greet' where there were kids and parents present!" she reasoned out. "And you didn't seem bothered by it at all! _You thought it was funny!"_

"Macy…" Nick said softly as he embraced her and placed a kiss on top of her head. "Yes, their shirts were a bit obnoxious but that's why it was so funny. I could care less about those girls. You know that. I was just humoring them."

"And then you hugged them right after…" Macy mumbled in a scornful tone but Nick heard every word.

"I'm sorry, Mace," he apologized sincerely. "I didn't realize that it would bother you so much."

"It does. And I know it's stupid. You probably think I'm crazy for getting so riled up. But I can't help it! It's weird because now that I think about it I was probably like those girls before I got with you. I mean you and your brothers are really attractive so it's natural for your fans to want to jump your bones. But now that I'm your girlfriend it's different because when I see those girls express their love for you so openly, it makes me mad that they think of you _in that way…"_ she said this all in one breath because she wanted to tell Nick the truth about what was bothering her.

Nick never considered this before. It was true that Macy probably would have been just like those girls who fantasize about him in that way but now that the two of them were in a relationship, the idea of other girls looking at him _in that light_ would definitely bother his girlfriend, whom he loved so much. So he tightened his embrace around her and apologized one more time, "I'm sorry, Mace. Next time I'll be more considerate towards your feelings."

"No, don't apologize," Macy said as her mind began to clear from her emotions. "I'm probably just overreacting. And you're probably sick and tired of me being this jealous every time I see you with other girls."

Nick shook his head quickly and replied, "No, not at all. It just shows that you really care about me. And to be honest, if I saw you with any other guy I would get jealous, too. I mean look what happened last time. I got jealous because you were spending so much time with Frankie and then that whole incident with Joe."

Macy laughed and agreed with him, "That's true. I can't believe you got jealous of your brothers!"

"I know. It was stupid," Nick admitted and then added. "But I think we both can learn to control our jealousies. We don't want to always let our emotions get to us."

"That's true…" Macy said quietly.

"So why don't you put your shirt back on. We don't want to get carried away. Besides, I feel bad for losing the bet. I still need to make it up to you," Nick said as he got up from his seat and made his way to the mirror so that he can straighten out his appearance before meeting the rest of the JONAS fans. "Let's go out for dinner after I finish the 'Meet & Greet'. You pick the restaurant."

He turned to look at her but Macy didn't budge. She was still holding her shirt in her arms when a blush came across her cheeks.

"What is it, Mace?"

"You see…um…you didn't really lose the bet," she confessed as she got up and walked over to him. "It's more of a draw."

"Huh?"

"Nick…um…you see…I'm just like you," she confessed as she felt her cheeks blazing even more red. "I don't have that much self control either…in fact…I was…uh…kinda disappointed that…um…you backed out last time…"

"You were?"

"But I do agree with you that sex should be something special. We shouldn't take it lightly but…"

"But what?"

"But there are times when you just can't control it," she continued as she began unzipping his pants. And this time, Nick didn't even bother stopping her. "And it's not just lust because every time we do it, we're showing each other in a physical way how much love exists between us. That's why they call it 'making love' because there are times when words and kisses are not enough to express how much I love you Nick. Because I swear to God, Nick, I love you so much, I would die for you."

And with that, Nick took her face in his hands and kissed her forcefully on the lips. Immediately, Macy responded with equal passion and clasped her legs around his waist as he guided her back to the couch. Moments after, the two of them found themselves engaged in the art of 'making love'.

"_Is it just me or did you get better?_" Macy said breathlessly as she cuddled next to her boyfriend.

"I have no idea but that was _amazing,"_ Nick agreed as he lay next to her so that he could also catch his breath. "Maybe I should ask those girls to give you a shirt."

"_Shut up_," Macy said as she rolled her eyes.

"What? It's not a bad thing because at least if you wear it, you're wish would actually come true since you're the only girl I'd like to fu—

"NICK! You know how I feel about that word," Macy said loudly because she hated when people substituted the 'f' word for sex. It was really crude and vulgar and Nick should know better.

"I know. I'm sorry but it's true since you're the only one I consider doing it with," Nick said as he took a quick look at his watch. "Oh crap! I'm late. I need to go back out."

"Yeah, you don't want to upset your fans," Macy said as she helped him get dress. "Sorry for distracting you."

"Macy, don't ever think you're a distraction to me," Nick said in a serious tone. "Besides, I think this was a much needed rendezvous."

He buttoned up his shirt and while doing so, he chuckled to himself.

"Why are you laughing?"

But he just shook his head quickly and simply said, "Nothing."

"_Nick…" _she said in a stern voice.

"Fine. I'll tell you but you won't like it," Nick said with an impish smile.

"_Try me_," she challenged him.

"Well, if I carefully analyze what just happened, it's you, not me, who technically lost the bet."

"WHAT?" Macy said in a very shocked tone. "It was a tie!"

"Nope, because I never caved in or at least I stopped myself before I did," Nick said matter-of-factly as he finished putting on his shoes and he was about to open the door. "I was the one who had self-control. But you, on the other hand, were the one who actually went all the way."

"_WHAAAAT?"_ Macy said in even more great disbelief. "We both went all the way!"

"Yes, we did but I wouldn't have done it if you didn't give that whole speech beforehand which if carefully broken down, you basically said that you want sex more than I do," Nick said in a cocky manner.

The brunette girl stared at him with her mouth hanging wide open.

"That's not true!" Macy exclaimed but Nick was already out the door laughing to himself. "NICK! COME BACK HERE! I DIDN'T CAVE IN! WE BOTH DID! NICK!"

But he was no longer listening to her. He left Macy alone in his room as she thought about what he just said._ Did he really think that she lost? They both caved in…right?_

Meanwhile, Nick joined his brothers back out to meet the rest of their fans.

"Way to be five minutes late," Kevin whispered to Nick who finally took his spot next to them. "The fans were getting restless and I swear dad looked as if he was going to murder someone if you didn't show up any time soon."

"Sorry, I had to take care of something," Nick said as he tried to get into fan-mode zone.

"Something, huh? Something as in Macy?" Joe teased but before Nick could respond, Joe quipped. "If you don't want to upset our crazy fans I suggest you pop up your collar if you want to hide that hickey on your neck."

He didn't need to be told twice because the youngest member of the band quickly put his collar up to hide any evidence that he had been with Macy.

"Thanks. I didn't realize I had that there," Nick said as he tried to act cool and collected.

"No, prob. But let me guess. The bet's over?" Joe asked. Nick didn't need to say anything but the fact that he was turning red was enough to surmise that what he said was indeed true. "You see that, Kev? I told you he was going to only last three days! Cough it up!"

"Fine, fine, fine," Kevin said as he dug out a $20 bill from his back pocket and gave it to his younger brother.

And after that, the boys needed to get to business because their fans started coming in. Macy joined Frankie at the sidelines but instead of keeping a watchful eye on her boyfriend, she decided to play card games with the youngest Lucas boy for the remaining three hours JONAS had to finish signing autographs and taking pictures. And before they knew it, the time flew by and it was already 4pm.

"And that's it!" Big Man announced before closing the main door.

"Finally!" Joe said as he finished signing the last autograph.

"I'm exhausted," Kevin exclaimed. "I swear I feel like my hand could fall off from all that signing."

"Mine, too," Nick said as he rubbed his wrist. "Frankie! Where's Macy?"

"She had a phone call she needed to take," the young boy replied. "Anyway, I have a question for you guys."

"What is it, kiddo?" Joe said as he took Frankie and gave him a noogie. He always loved to rough-house his little brother despite being constantly scolded by his mother for such behavior.

"What's a JILF?" the boy asked them all because he was still intrigued by that term.

His three brothers burst into laughter.

"Well, lil' bro," Joe started off to say. "JILF stands for JONAS I'd like to f—

"JOE!" both Kevin and Nick yelled together to cut him short because they couldn't believe Joe was about to reveal what a JILF really meant to their youngest brother, who was already learning too much about the birds and the bees while on tour.

"Relax, you guys. I was only going to say JILF means JONAS I'd like to feed," Joe said and then laughed. "But oh man! You should've seen your faces! It was priceless!"

"_You're such an idiot, Joe,"_ Nick retorted with his signature annoyed look.

But before they could continue their banter back and forth, Big Man came in and said, "We have a situation."

"Huh? What happened?" Kevin said now with a worried tone.

"There's this belligerent fan out there, who demands to see you guys. She said that she took a plane all the way here to meet you guys and she won't take no for an answer," Big Man explained.

"Just call Security," Joe said. "We're leaving. I mean we spent three hours already signing autographs she should have come earlier."

"But—

"No really, Big Man, we've dealt with plenty of crazy fan-girls before and this one's just probably a looney so just send her away—

"A LOONEY? You take that back Joseph Lucas!" yelled an all too familiar voice.

"STELLA?" all the Lucas boys cried out.

"The one and only!" she said as she ran up to them to give all of them a hug. "I was able to catch an earlier flight. I just couldn't wait to see you guys!"

"Stella!" Joe said excitedly as he picked her up in a big hug and twirled her around. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you, too," Stella said as she gave him a quick kiss on the lips when he put her down. "It's great to see you guys. Seriously, I was always checking out your fan-sites to make sure you guys wore Stella-Malone approved clothes. So far so good. Oh and Frankie don't think I forgot your birthday. Here! I got you a limited edition Avengers comic book. I knew you didn't have this one."

"OH WOW! Thanks Stella! I knew I always liked you!" Frankie said as he took the comic book from her hands and immediately began reading it.

"Anyway, where's Macy? I haven't seen her since forever!"

"I'll go find her," Nick said as he went out back to look for his girlfriend. "Macy! Macy!"

He called out for her as he walked down the long corridor of the hotel lobby. There was no response. He was about to pass the lounge room when he saw the girl he was looking for sitting on the couch.

"Macy? What are you doing here?" Nick said as he took a seat next to her.

"I had…um…to take a phone call…"

"Oh? Was it your mom?"

"_No…_" Macy said slowly.

"Macy, are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost," he said now in a very concerned voice.

Macy looked at him and said quietly, "_Nick, my aunt just called._"

"Really?" Nick said a bit annoyed because it could only mean one thing. "What did she say? You have to go back to Pennsylvania? Did you tell her that you're staying with me and there's no chance in hell you're going back there?"

"_Not exactly…_"

"Then what is it? You're starting to scare me, Mace."

Nick could tell that whatever it was, Macy was struggling to get it out. She looked really pale.

"_Nick…_" she said nervously as she stared into his eyes. _"Julian woke up."_

* * *

**Closing Remarks:**

What do you think will happen? Will Julian stir up more drama or will this story reach a calming resolution? I feel like I've been dragging out this story for a long time. Sorry about that. But don't worry. This story ends in the next chapter. After this wraps up, I'm going to start concentrating on Secret Liaisons. And once again sorry for the LOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG wait I know all of you guys have been waiting for more than a month for me to upload this so hopefully you still are following this NACY story. In the Meet & Greet scene I used a lot of real-life scenarios that I heard about online like the girl giving Joe and not Nick a rose and the whole JILF shirts. (I can only imagine how the boys reacted. And as serious Nick is in real life, I imagined him to just have laughed it off. _He is a guy after all.)_

And please review! I'm sorry the update took forever but hopefully my loyal readers are still out there because without you guys I wouldn't be compelled to finish this story. And just remember even though the JONAS show got cancelled, fanfiction is great because I plan on continuing the NACY romance for quite some time. So please stick with me as I continue to create more stories for my favorite couple, Nick and Macy.

PLEASE REVIEW! It'll make me super happy and it will encourage me to update the next chapter at a quicker pace!

Thanks!

-Penelope36


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 The Resolution**

"Julian woke up…" Macy finally revealed as she stared intently into her boyfriend's face.

"_Oh…_" was all Nick Lucas could say. Suddenly the temperature in the room became freezing cold as a lump formed in the back of his throat. He spoke in a quiet tone and asked, _"Did he –um- say anything?"_

"I don't think so. My aunt said he wasn't really talking much," Macy confided in him. "_Oh my god, Nick!_ What if he says something about you? _Crap…_What are we going to do?"

The brunette girl broke down in tears as the thought of Nick getting in trouble at her expense consumed her mind.

"_Shhh…Macy, it's going to be okay," _he said trying his best to comfort her even though the idea of him getting into trouble was frightening him too.

"And how do you know that!" Macy cried out as more tears streamed down her face. "Nick, if Julian rats you out…_oh my god…I don't want to even think about it."_

She began to sob even harder now because the risk of being away from Nick now added to her fears.

"_Shhh, Macy, it's going to be okay_," Nick assured her even though he wasn't sure himself. But despite the trouble he could get in, he did not regret anything. Julian deserved what came to him and if Nick has to pay the consequences for his actions then he would take it. However, before he could formulate a plan he had another pressing matter to address because one look at Macy and Nick already knew she was off to another world. The good thing about his girlfriend was that whenever something distressed her, she always thought out loud, which made it easy for him, _the doting boyfriend that he is, _to ease her apprehension,

By now, Macy stood up and was pacing back and forth with a frantic look plastered on her already distraught face.

"You can be put to jail- wait no, you're too young for that. They can put you in juvenile hall. This is going to be on your PERMANENT RECORD. Don't you know how serious this is? Your permanent record, Nick! And then your fans will probably turn your back on you. And then you won't be able to get that Grammy Award you wanted. And then there's us! How are we going to go to college together if you're sentenced to-_ I don't know- _FIVE YEARS? Nick, you can't leave me. I'll go wherever they take you. I won't—

"MACY! CALM DOWN!" Nick said as he gently shook her back to her senses. "You're making me more nervous as it is."

"S-sorry, Nick, but just thinking about what could happen is making me so upset."

"I know, Mace ," Nick said as he now gave her a big hug. "But we'll think of something to address the situation _if there even is a situation_."

"What? Of course there's a situation! You don't think Julian will talk? He has every reason to! The fact that he was super jealous of you is enough to make him seek revenge!"

Nick gulped. She did have a point. But remembering that time when he beat up Julian to a bloody pulp, there was something Nick noticed about Julian that made him think that the boy would not be so quick to point fingers at him. _Julian was the one in the wrong after all. _Nick was just retaliating to defend his girlfriend's honor. So no matter how much of a scumbag Julian really is, Nick had a gut feeling that the boy wouldn't be ratting him out any time soon. Thus, thinking all of this through he finally said to Macy, "Look, I don't think we should stress out about this right now. The fact that he didn't say anything yet goes to show that he's not ready to reveal what happened."

"But—

"AND even if he did rat me out, do you honestly think he's going to be guilt free? The whole reason why we are in this whole mess is because he violated you, Mace. And even though you're not ready to confront him, I don't think Julian would want to risk the possibility of us ratting him out as well. And we have more substance than he does. You said he's a smart kid. So he'll definitely weigh in that fact as well."

"That's true…"she replied slowly. Even though Macy was still uncomfortable telling people what happened, if there ever was a time when she needed to step away from her comfort zone it would be to defend her boyfriend, whom she loved with all her heart.

"So let's not start something if there isn't anything to worry about just yet. He didn't squeal so let's take comfort in that alone. And if the time ever comes when he decides to speak, then we'll face it together, right? We have each other to count on. You'll always have me by your side and I know I'll always have you. Right, Mace?"

Macy simply nodded her head in agreement.

"Nick, you never cease to amaze me," she said as she offered him a small smile. "I don't get how you can be so calm after all of this. You really are perfect."

"No, I'm not. To tell you the truth, I'm actually really terrified," he admitted sheepishly.

"What!" Macy exclaimed in a skeptical tone. "You don't seem like it."

"Well, yeah. I mean I could go to juvie. That's a pretty big deal. I just seem calm compared to you," Nick further explained. "But then again, anyone would seem calm compared to you, Mace, since you have a tendency to freak out."

"I DON'T FREAK OUT, NICK LUCAS!" Macy said getting a bit offended that her boyfriend was poking fun at her.

But Nick Lucas just raised his eyebrows and had his signature smirk plastered on his face to prove his point that at that moment Macy was indeed freaking out _because he accused her of "freaking out"_. Thus, she was proving his point all on her own.

"Argh! Okay maybe I have a little tendency to freak out but at least I show emotion instead of being so stoic like you all the time!" Macy said with _her signature pout._ And this time, Nick knew he was pushing her buttons so he embraced her one more time and placed a small peck on her lips.

"Mace, don't be angry with me. I was only teasing you to lighten the mood," he admitted as he placed another peck on her lips and then added a few more on her cheek and forehead.

"_Okay, okay fine. I'm not mad at you anymore_," Macy gave in as she smiled up at him.

"Good," Nick smiled back. "Well, let's try not to think about this now because there's this blonde hair girl outside who is dying to see her best friend and—

"WHAT! STELLA IS HERE?" Macy exclaimed loudly as she headed out to the auditorium with Nick following close behind.

And for a while, both Macy and Nick were able to put their worries aside as the gang was reunited for the night.

"Macy!"

"STELLA!" the brunette girl enthusiastically yelled when she saw her best friend. "Wow. Look at you dressed up so fancy!"

"Thanks! It was my final piece for the semester," Stella said as she twirled around to show off her blue dress with polka-dot stripes.

"Well, it looks marvelous!"

"Of course, it's marvelous. It's a Stella Malone one of a kind! And since we're all going out to eat, I have a perfect dress for you too, Mace. It's an off the shoulder dress."

And while the girls were bonding over fashion, Kevin walked over to Nick and said, "Hey is everything alright? You look a bit overwhelmed."

"I-it's nothing," Nick lied. "Just happy to see everyone back."

And that night, the whole Jonas clan along with Macy and Stella along with some of the back up dancers, including Jeremy and Gabby, joined them for dinner in an upscale steakhouse.

The three brothers, Macy, Stella, Gabby and Jeremy sat in one table and they were having a delightful conversation. But once in awhile, Nick stole glances at his girlfriend and even though she seemed to be enjoying the company, there were moments when she seemed nervous and agitated as she checked her phone after every few minutes.

Everyone was laughing at a joke Joe just made, but Nick leaned over and whispered into her ear.

"Macy, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just checking my phone to see if my aunt called ," she whispered back. "I'm worried."

"Don't be. I'm here," Nick gave her a comforting smile and for the rest of the dinner he held her hand from underneath the table.

But just like Nick, Stella noticed something was amiss with her best friend.

"Ahem," Stella said as she faked cleared her voice. "Well, wasn't that a meal! I need to freshen up. Mace, would you like to come with me?"

"Yeah, sure Stells."

Walking arm and arm with with each other, the two girls headed to the women's bathroom. Making sure all the stalls were empty, Stella blocked the door and went straight to the point.

"Stella, what are you doing?" Macy asked her honestly because she really came with her to freshen up.

"I'm just making sure no one is here to spy on us," she said.

"Spy? What on earth are you talking about, Stells?" Macy asked her even more confused than ever.

"I know something is bothering you. You were so quiet during dinner which is totally unlike you, Mace," Stella pointed out. "What is it?"

The brunette girl looked at her best friend who was staring back at her with a complete look of concern on her face. But Macy hesitated because she did not know what to do.

"Macy, what is it?" Stella repeated in a calming tone as she placed an arm around her because she could tell that whatever it was, it was something big.

"_Stella…I don't know how I should say this…_"

"Mace, whatever it is, I could help you through it. I mean what are best friends for?"

"I know but Stells…_this could ruin Nick_…" Macy said quietly.

"_Ruin Nick?_ What are you talking about…?"Stella asked her at first and then a knowing look spread across her face as she placed both hands on Macy's shoulders so that she could look at her straight in the face and said in a very serious tone. "_Macy…are you pregnant?_"

"WHAT! NO! _I'm not…_" Macy began to say and then continued in an even hushed tone. "…_pregnant_. God no! That's not it! Stella, I didn't tell you the whole story why I decided to go with Nick on tour."

"Okay then, why did you join Nick on tour?"

"You see…Stella…when I was in Pennsylvania…I met my childhood friend—

"Childhood friend?"

"Yeah, his name is…um…Julian," she paused a bit before saying his name. "_And…um…you see…_"

Stella could see that Macy was not comfortable in saying whatever it is she wanted to say so she assured her, "Macy, if you don't want to tell me, then it's okay."

"No, I have to tell you because he just got out of a coma and—

"_Whoa, whoa, whoa! What did you just say? Who was in a coma?_"

"Julian! And I'm afraid Nick could get in trouble—

"OH MY GOD. You need to slow down. Are you saying Nick put Julian in a coma?" Stella repeated with complete shock written all over her face.

"Yeah, because Nick wanted to defend my honor since Julian did something bad. He was jealous of Nick when he came down to visit me in Martinsburg. It was after Julian confessed to me that he liked me but I turned him down and—

"Macy, did Julian rape you?" Stella asked her in horror because she didn't know if she could handle it if that was the truth. Her skin was as cold as ice as she waited for her response.

"No, he didn't rape me but he…um…touched me _there_ and kissed me when I told him to stop," Macy said as she felt the tears rolling down her face. "I told him to stop, Stella, but he didn't."

"_Oh my god Macy_! I didn't know!" Stella said as she embraced her best friend tightly. "That monster! How on earth could he do that to you!"

"I d-don't know how it happened," Macy said as she sobbed into Stella's shoulder. "I didn't want it to happen but…he…just…_kept going_—

"Mace, it's okay. You're fine. You'll be okay. No one deserves this. If you told me sooner I would have left New York right away to be with you," Stella said. "But at least you're here with all of us to protect you and far away from that scumbag!"

"Yeah, but that's the thing, Stells," Macy said hesitantly. "My aunt called the other day and told me he woke up from his coma and we're afraid that he's going to tell on Nick. You know how much trouble Nick could get in and all the backlash he's going to get? And he's going to risk it all because he defended me? _Stells, I can't do that to him_."

Stella pursed her lips because she knew that if Julian ever did tell on Nick, the Lucas boy would always do the honorable thing and pay the price because he was the type of guy who would stand up for those he love.

"I mean what if he does reveal that Nick was the one who beat him up? Nick would tell the truth and say he did that because he violated you, Mace."

"Yeah, I know…" Macy said quietly. "But he doesn't have to do that, is what I am saying! I mean, yes, I believe Julian deserved everything that happened to him but in the end it will be Nick losing. Sometimes I feel like I'm just a burden to him. Nick always has to clean up my mess and I'm scared that one day he's going to just stop trying and leave me because Stella, I swear to God, if it's because of me that his career is ruined I don't know how I would be able to live with myself."

"MACY! Why are you saying all these things!" Stella exclaimed. "Nick loves you. He will do anything for you! And this is not YOUR mess. You were taken advantaged of, Mace, and Nick did everything that a decent and honorable guy would do to defend his girlfriend. So what if his career will get tainted because of this but you don't need to worry about that. Because you know Nick better than I do and you know that he would always choose right from wrong."

"You're right. Nick is such an amazing guy," Macy agreed. "Whatever happens, I'm going to stick by him no matter what. I'm going to protect him just as much as he protects me."

"See, that's the spirit!" Stella said as she gave her a hug. "Now where does that scumbag Julian live? I would like to give him a good sucker-punch to his head so we can put him back into a coma."

But instead of issuing out a reply, Macy stared at her with raised eyebrows because they both knew that Stella Malone would never last in a fight. She was as dainty and delicate as a flower.

"Took it too far?" Stella asked her with a slight giggle.

"Yes, you did," Macy laughed as she embraced her one more time. "But I miss these _Stella and Macy_ moments. I love you, best friend."

"I love you, too, BFF!" Stella said.

After their hug-fest, the two of them returned to their table, where Joe and Nick were the only ones left.

"Where's everyone?" Stella asked.

"They all left already," Joe replied. "Everyone wanted to leave quickly because the paparazzi somehow found out where we are. They have the whole place surrounded!"

Looking out at the windows, there were flashes from the cameras as they took pictures of the rest of the Jonas clan and their entourage.

"_Great…_" both Stella and Macy said disappointedly.

"Well let us take our leave, my lady!" Joe said in his fake British accent. "Let's venture out into the night."

"Why thank you, kind sir," Stella played along as she and Joe walked hand and hand out to the public.

Of course, Macy did not expect Nick to do that with her. She knew his policy of absolutely no PDA whatsoever. Complete privacy was a top priority for a guy like Nick Lucas.

But before they headed out to the swarm of paparazzi waiting for them, Nick still noticed that something was bothering Macy.

"Macy, are you alright?" Nick asked her.

"Y-yeah, don't worry about me," Macy assured him as she offered him her best smile.

"Are you sure there's nothing bothering you, Mace? You and Stella were in the bathroom for a long time," Nick pointed out.

"Oh that? It was nothing. We were just catching up," Macy lied with an equally fake laugh. "Just girl stuff. You wouldn't understand."

However, Nick gave her a skeptical look and said, "Macy, are you sure—

"I'm fine! Really," Macy interrupted him. "Look! Stella and Joe are waiting for us. Let's go."

Thus, Nick Lucas gave up finding out what was bothering her because they needed to leave the restaurant since it was almost closing time. If there was one thing Nick Lucas hated more besides geometry and the Red Sox, it would be the paparazzi. They always seem to know where he and his brothers are at all times. But of course being the gentleman that he is, Nick is always polite to them. Whenever they were rude to him, he would just ignore them because he did not want to seem hot tempered or a brat to the public, especially since that was not his true nature.

Therefore, before he stepped out he took a deep breath and prepared for the camera flashes and bold questions. He could see the outline of Joe and Stella ahead of him. Macy was probably next to him or walking a few feet back. He was not sure. He just wanted to get out of there fast.

On the other hand, Macy knew the drill to not stand too close to Nick. Everyone already knew her as a close family friend and nothing more. Thus, Macy was determined to keep it that way even if she sometimes wanted to get the message across to the public that Nick was _her_ boyfriend and no one else's. She did not like sharing him with any other girl even if the rumors were false.

"JOE! STELLA! How does it feel like to be reunited together?" one paparazzi yelled.

"STELLA I LOVE YOUR DRESS! Who made it?" another one asked.

It was so loud and chaotic, Nick couldn't hear their response or if they even gave one for that matter. Big Man tried his best to keep all the people at bay. The four of them needed their personal space, especially since they were surrounded by a swarm of photographers.

"NICK! Where's Gabby?"

"WERE YOU GUYS ON A DOUBLE DATE WITH YOUR BROTHER?"

He tried to ignore them but the questions kept coming.

"Is it true you and Gabby are going to vacation together after the tour is over?" yelled another tabloid reporter.

Nick smiled to himself and laughed a bit because he wondered who made up that stupid rumor.

On the other hand, Macy tried to ignore everything. She was still worried about Nick and the consequences of Julian squealing on him. But right now she was bothered by the attention Nick was getting about Gabby. She liked Gabby, she really did but right now she wanted to punch the next person who ever brought her name up, which in hindsight would actually be really hard because most of the tabloid reporters kept yelling her name at Nick.

"Where's your girlfriend, Nick?"

"Joe stepped out with his girlfriend why didn't you?" yelled another.

Macy wanted to yell back and say 'HERE I AM. I'M NICK'S GIRLFRIEND!"

But she refrained. While Nick, Joe, and Stella were being hollered by the tabloid reporters, Macy was left alone to walk by herself since no one was paying attention to her. All the camera flashes were following the three of them. Even Big Man didn't notice her disappearance. However, Macy was a big girl. She knew the way back so she did not really care that she was getting left behind or anything like that. She was actually happy that she was no longer in the crowd of paparazzi. The distance between her and Nick was enough to avoid hearing the endless questions about his pseudo-girlfriend, Gabby.

Meanwhile, Nick could not wait to get out of the spotlight. He was getting so annoyed with all the attention he was getting about his personal life. He looked up ahead and saw that Joe and Stella did not seem to be bothered at all. Instead, they were ignoring the paparazzi altogether and were whispering to each other. _It must be so nice to have someone to share the spotlight with,_ he thought to himself. He looked back to make sure Macy was okay and from behind the flashes, he could see Macy walking all by herself. The streetlamp was just enough to illuminate her face. She still seemed so sad and alone.

"Mace!" he yelled loudly so that he could be heard over the hoards of reporters. "MACY!"

"Huh?" she answered back greatly perplexed as she looked up and saw Nick walking back to her with a dozen cameras following his every move. "What are you doing, Nick?"

She whispered the last part as she hesitantly looked around at the cameras now focusing on them.

"Nick, who is she?" someone asked.

But instead of answering them, he did something he never did before in public and offered Macy his hand to hold.

"Really?" Macy said as she smiled at him and he smiled back and nodded as he took her hand in his.

The cameras by that time went crazy as the paparazzi rapidly took shots of Nick Lucas holding the hand of a "mysterious" girl.

"What about Gabby!" shouted one shocked reporter.

"Who is she, Nick? Did she ruin your relationship with Gabby?"

"NICK! NICK!"

So many reporters were now closely following them that Big Man had to shout over them to back away about two feet or else the authorities would be called.

Macy had to squint as she was now blinded by the flashes but despite all this she felt Nick give her hand a comforting squeeze. She felt so protected now having Nick by her side. He always protected her whenever she needed him and now whatever their future may bring, whether Julian tells on him or not, she will protect him no matter what.

This was a very uncharacteristic move for Mr. Nick Lucas, who made it his stance to keep everything about his personal life private. But this was a different matter because who was he to abandon his girlfriend especially when she needed him the most? He was not trying to show her off or anything like that but he knew it bothered her when the media linked him to some other girl. So why not show the public eye the truth for once? It is not like he was making out with her in public or anything like that. Friends could hold each other's hands. Thus, even though the reporters were now asking if "this girl" referring to Macy, was his girlfriend, he stayed silent. He did not confirm or deny anything. It should be fun to leave them guessing.

"Nick, where's Gabby?"

"Who is she?"

Questions upon questions began pouring out in rapid fire to the point that it sounded like everyone was talking gibberish. Thankfully, Big Man shaded them from the cameras so that they could see where they were going. Joe and Stella were already on the bus and quickly Nick and Macy followed them with their hands still linked.

"What on earth did you do, Nicholas?" his mother asked him as she now had to close the blinds of the windows on the tour bus. "It's like a riot out there!"

"It was nothing really," Nick said casually. "They were asking about Gabby and I decided to show them that they got it all wrong."

He smiled over at Macy, who was still holding his hand, and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Okay, you lovebirds but next time you decide to cause such a ruckus please let me know in advance!" his mother said in a mildly stern manner. "Big Man almost got mauled out there!"

"Sorry, Big Man," Nick said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," their body guard said as he sauntered to the bathroom to clean the scratches on his arm.

"Well, I hope you don't mind sleeping on the couch with Stella, Macy," his mom said. "It's all set and I expect no funny business from you two. Got it?"

"Got it. Thanks so much, Mrs. Lucas," the brunette girl said gratefully. Now that Stella was here, she no longer had to sleep in another bus from Nick. His mother probably guessed that her son would not do any "funny business" now that Macy had her best friend with her. And she was right. When Mrs. Lucas left them alone, Macy turned to Nick and said, "Nick, why on earth did you decide to do that? Now they're going to ask you about me."

"You just seemed so sad and lonely out there," Nick answered. "They were asking me about Gabby and it was getting so annoying. I wanted them to know that you were something more to me not Gab. Plus, if they ask me about you, I'll just do the same thing and keep them guessing. At least now they will stop asking me about Gabby. And don't think I didn't notice you pouting before about me not going out with you in public."

"I wasn't pouting!"

"Yes, you were," Nick teased her back. "At least now, whenever they try to guess who my girlfriend is, the media can actually be on the right track instead of pairing me up with whoever they want."

"Nick…" Macy beamed up at him and kissed him passionately on the lips. "You really surprised me out there. But it's about time."

"About time?"

"Yeah, because now we can finally hold hands in public," Macy pointed out.

"That's true," Nick agreed as he kissed her forehead and rested his head on top of hers for a bit. "But I feel bad for you, Mace."

"Huh? Why should you feel bad?"

"I mean enjoy this period of anonymity for now because knowing my fans they probably are digging up information about you right now. Just be prepared for the death threats and the Macy bashing tomorrow."

At that moment, Macy's face fell as the thought of her fellow Jonas-heads turning against her.

"But don't worry," Nick said. "Don't listen to all that crap. They won't find anything about you. Trust me."

And did she put her trust in him because as much as she wanted Nick to acknowledge her as his girlfriend to the public, the little hand-holding incident was enough to cause a riot amongst his fans. The next morning Celebrity Brat had an article with the now infamous photo of Nick Lucas holding the hand of a "mysterious brunette".

The article was titled, "The Incident that Shook the Tween World."

And it read:

_Last night, photographers were able to catch Joe and Nick after they had dinner last night in a fancy steakhouse. Joe was accompanied by his lady friend Stella Malone. But the big surprise of the night was when the youngest Jonas member held the hand of this mysterious brunette. So who is this girl that tore Gabby and Nick apart? According to some reliable sources, her name is Macy and she was the same girl who was photographed before in the Jonas tour. Apparently, this family friend is something more to the youngest Lucas brother. After a little research, Jonas heads, I was able to find out she is none other than the self-proclaimed, Jonas #1 Super-Fan, who is the webmaster of the sub par Jonas site. Apparently, she also goes to the same school as the boys and is a sports freak._

_So do you think Nick made a downgrade? Are you guys sad to see 'Nabby' end? Or do you embrace Team Nacy?_

And that is how the article ended.

_SUB-PAR? SPORTS FREAK? DOWNGRADE?_ Macy was disappointed by how the Celebrity Brat portrayed her. She read some of the comments and it really did dampen her spirits. Someone called her anorexic because of her "chicken legs". And another girl took a jab at her youthful looks and said that she looked like a twelve-year-old. A lot of the comments had the same sentiment that read: _Nick could do better than her. She's just average._ Apparently, many of Nick's fans were sad to see the end of Gabby and Nick because the Celebrity Brat posted a poll putting Team Nabby and Team Nacy up against each other and the results showed that Team Nabby was winning by 23%.

It did not help that her website was now flooded with hate messages that Macy had to altogether shut it down temporarily.

"Macy, don't be sad," Nick said one night when he tried to comfort her. "They'll get used to the idea of you being with me and then you can open your website again."

"I don't know, Nick," she replied sadly because she really did love keeping her website up-to-date. Before she got into a relationship with Nick, her website was her pride and joy and now that all has to end unfortunately. "You're fans are pretty scary. I think the only way I can open up my Jonas site again is if you and I break up."

"WHAT? You mean you'll break up with me just so you can open your website again?" Nick asked her while appalled by this revelation.

"Well…I mean…_yeah_."

"MACY!" Nick yelled shocked that she would actually consider this.

"Of course, I'm just kidding!" Macy assured him as she tried to embrace him but Nick was acting upset and tried to get away from her. "Nick!"

Macy knew how to get to him and decided to use her secret weapon.

"If you don't let me hug you…" Macy said as she inched closer to him. "I'm going to tickle you!"

And just like that she tickled his sides.

"Mace! Hahaha. Stop! You know I can't stand-HAHAHA- being tickled!"

Macy would have kept going if it wasn't for Big Man who interrupted them and said, "Nick, you're needed on stage. The show starts in 15 minutes."

"Okay. Be there in a sec," Nick replied quickly. "Just after I get Macy back."

"What?" Macy said but she understood what he meant the moment Nick turned towards her and started tickling her nonstop. "Okay Nick! Stop! HAHAHAHA. I can't breathe! HAHAHA!"

"There. We're even!" Nick said as he gave her a peck on the lips to end their tickle-fest.

"Okay," Macy said as she smiled at him. She loved how playful they still were with each other. "Now, go. You're fans are waiting for you, Nick Lucas."

"Okay, but while I'm gone don't read anymore of that garbage about you and me," Nick said as he got ready to go on stage. "You'll only get more depressed."

'Okay, I promise," she answered as she closed the laptop shut.

"I don't like it when you're sad," Nick said as he adjusted his microphone. "Especially since we're going home tomorrow, you don't want to feel down."

"Yeah, I know," Macy said. Even though she was upset by how Nick's fans were reacting to him dating her, she was glad to be distracted from the bigger problem—Julian. In fact, she was relieved that her aunt has not called her back since the time she announced that he woke up. She and Nick were both relieved about this but only time will tell how long they would both be off the hook since tomorrow would be the day when they return to New Jersey.

Instead, of spending her time on Nick's laptop, she decided to videotape the last show of the tour using Frankie's camera. The audience were really excited. The energy of the teen girls were energizing the boys. Thus, their final concert was their best performance yet. Nick and Joe were doing flips around the stage and Kevin was spinning really fast as he played his guitar. Of course, Macy was biased and filmed mostly Nick for her keepsake. Before he sang "Biggest Fan", Nick made a little dedication and said, "This song is for a very special Jonas #1 Super fan". By now, everyone knew who Nick was talking about.

The night and concert ended on a high note. It was another successful Jonas tour. After all the festivities, everyone was so tired and needed a good night's rest, well, almost everybody that is.

"Stella, remember how we said we wanted to be sisters?" Macy asked her as they slept next to each other on the couch's pull-out bed.

"Yeah, I remember," Stella said as she turned to face her.

"Well, why don't we make that dream a reality?" Macy asked her excitedly. "I mean when we get back I can stay at your place. I don't have a lot of stuff. We can share a room. And since you're going to be in college I can be a fill-in daughter for your parents! So whaddya say?"

"My parents do love you," Stella replied. "And you're always welcomed at my house but wouldn't your mom miss you?"

"After the last time I spoke with her…I don't think she'll mind," Macy answered her honestly. "I sorta yelled at her and she was blaming Nick about corrupting me. She wants me to break up with him."

"Well, Mace, that's because your mom doesn't know anything about what happened in Pennsylvania," Stella pointed out. "I bet if she knew the whole story she would forgive you and understand why you left your aunt's place."

"I tried telling her, Stells," Macy exclaimed. "But she wouldn't listen to me. She was so angry at me and she was so quick to defend Julian. I don't know, Stella. I mean my mom and I fought before but this was really bad. And the fact that she knows that Nick and I _do stuff together _just adds to the fact that she is so disappointed in me."

"Mace, listen to me," Stella spoke. "She's your mom. Of course she's going to be upset with you. But she's going to love you no matter what."

"But—

"Look, as much as it would totally rock if you and I could live together, you need to see your mom," Stella said. "You're her only daughter. She may be disappointed in you but if you tell her the truth she will listen."

"Do you think so?"

"Of course," Stella said. "It's been a couple weeks since you spoke to her. She probably cooled down. And the fact that you didn't hear anything about Julian should be a good sign."

"I guess you're right," Macy sighed.

"She's your mom, Mace," Stella said. "Just see her and try to talk to her. You'll be okay."

"Thanks, Stells," Macy said offering her a weak smile. She closed her eyes hoping that slumber will come to her quickly so she would stop worrying about tomorrow morning.

**The Next Day:**

"Nick, are you sure you want to drop me off?" Macy asked her boyfriend as he started his car. "We have a week left till school starts. Maybe I can stay at your place for a bit."

"Macy, we talked about this," Nick reminded her. "You need to see your mom. If she finds out I've been hiding you at my place, she's going to hate me even more. You don't want that."

"But Nick how about if she won't even take me back? You should have heard her yelling at me before," Macy said as she sunk lower into the passenger seat.

"Macy, don't worry," Nick said as he put his hand over hers. "That's why I'm going with you."

"And that's another thing," she added. "Are you sure you want to come with me? I mean I wouldn't be surprised if my mom attacks you with a broomstick."

"Mace, I highly doubt your mom would do that…" Nick said a bit hesitantly. "I mean you told her I'm still a good guy, well, despite everything, right?"

"I tried," Macy said as she looked outside the window at the houses passing by. "But she wouldn't listen. I just hope she did cool off and listens to what I have to say. I'm going to try telling her about Julian again."

"Are you sure?" Nick asked her as he parked his car in front of her home.

"Yeah," Macy said as she now stared at the front of her house. The two of them gathered her stuff and slowly walked up the stairs to her porch.

"Macy, are we going to wait here all day?" Nick asked her teasingly since she was hesitating to ring the doorbell.

"Okay, just give me a sec. I'm trying to collect my thoughts," Macy whispered. After taking a deep breath, she pressed the bell and waited for the worse. Nick reached over to hold her hand for support. It will be only a matter of minutes before they would be face to face with Mrs. Misa.

"Macy, relax," Nick whispered to her but it was tough telling her that since he was also nervous like her. Before this summer, Macy's mom adored him. He was the perfect gentleman and very polite. There was no one better for her daughter than him. But ever since that fateful afternoon when Mrs. Misa found out about the _dalliance_ between him and her daughter, he steadily became her #1 enemy.

So the two of them almost jumped back when they saw the knob turn and the door starting to open.

"Mom…" Macy said quietly, when she saw her mother standing before her.

There was a pause before anything was said and done.

Nick wanted to say something but he held back since he did not want to interrupt this special moment because he noticed that Macy's mom did not have a look of anger on her face. Instead, she looked relieved to see her daughter.

"Macy," her mother said affectionately and embraced her tightly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, sweetie."

"What? I'm the one that's supposed to be sorry," Macy said as she wiped away the tears that were now forming in her eyes. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that and—

"I know what happened."

"You do?" both Macy and Nick said together in great surprise.

"Yes," her mother replied. "This came in yesterday. It had your name and there was no return address. Someone just left it on the porch and of course I was curious so I read it."

Macy took the envelope from her.

"_Macy, it's from Julian_."

She immediately dropped the letter. She did not want to hold anything given to her from that scumbag.

"Mom, I—

"No, it's okay," her mom stopped her as she embraced her daughter even tighter. "I couldn't believe it when I read what happened. He wants to apologize so I called his parents but they said a few days after he was discharged from the hospital, he ran away. Apparently, he left a note for them too saying that he needed some spiritual guidance or something like that. But I should have believed you, Macy. I should've—

"Mom, it's okay," Macy said as she cried on her shoulder. "I just want to forget about it. I was too scared to tell you because I didn't want you to worry but I'm okay now."

"I'm so glad you came back home," her mom said. "I was afraid you wouldn't want to see me."

It was such a touching moment. Nick did not want to disturb the peace so he was debating whether or not he should leave. After all, he was not sure if he was back on Mrs. Misa's good side. Thankfully, the answer to this question came soon enough.

With one arm still around her daughter in a warm embrace, Macy's mom reached out to Nick to join them by saying, "Thank you for taking care of my daughter."

"Your welcome, Mrs. Misa," he replied happily as he joined them for a group hug.

The nervousness and tension they felt before vanished and was replaced by an overall feeling of closeness and love.

"Nick, why don't you join us for dinner?" Mrs. Misa invited him. "I made chicken parmesan."

"That sounds delicious. I'd love to have dinner with you guys. Thank you," Nick said politely.

And that night the Misa household was back to normal. No more tension existed between mother and daughter. Liam was glad to have Nick back because he looked up to him as an older brother. Because Macy's mom was still not comfortable having Nick and Macy alone in her room, the two lovebirds decided to have a nice after-dinner stroll in the nearby park.

"I'm happy to be home," Macy said earnestly now that her heart was at ease. "It's good to be back."

"Yes it is," Nick said as they strolled hand in hand near the waterfront. The sun was setting giving the suroundings a nice golden after glow. "As much as I love touring and seeing my fans, it's nice to be reminded that I'm still a normal teenager."

"Normal? Nick, you are far from normal," Macy teased. "I can't believe it's only a week before school starts again. Can you believe we're seniors?"

"Yeah I don't want to think about it," Nick said. "My dad's been telling me to start looking into colleges."

"Tell me about it," Macy said as she found a nice spot on the grass so that she and Nick could watch the sunset together. "I just hope our last year in Horace Mantis Academy will be drama-free. Especially after this summer, I don't think I can handle anymore drama."

"I agree," Nick said as he wrapped his arm around her so that Macy can lean her head against his shoulder. "Mace?"

"What?"

"Are you going to read that letter from Julian?"

"No," Macy answered honestly. "I don't think I can ever forgive him. Whatever he wrote in that letter means nothing to me."

Nick just nodded his head. Like Macy, he did not have the heart to forgive Julian's actions either. But he was going to pray for him and hopefully, Julian will become a changed man. Since Nick was deep in his thoughts, he did not notice Macy staring at him.

"What is it, Mace?"

"Kiss me."

He smiled and he leaned in for a kiss and they were just millimeters apart when all of a sudden, there was a flash.

"NICK! MACY! Is it true that Gabby dumped you because you were cheating on her with Macy?" yelled a paparazzi who just happened to be at the right place at the right time.

"How did he find us?" Macy asked Nick in disbelief.

"I don't know," Nick replied as he got up and tried to walk away from the nosy reporter.

"NICK! NICK! Is it true that you and Macy are engaged?"

"WHAT?" Macy yelled at the tabloid reporter. _"Who started that rumor?_"

"Macy, just follow my lead," Nick interrupted her as he sped up. "RUN!"

"HUH? Oh! Okay!" Macy said when she realized Nick was trying to ditch the paparazzi. This was her first time being hounded by the press. It was pretty exciting but also a bit annoying because the reporter interrupted a perfectly romantic moment she was sharing with Nick. _"Nick! Don't run to my house!"_

"What? WHY?" Nick yelled back at her.

"_Because they'll know where I live_!" she retorted.

"Oh right!" Nick said as he past her house and ran down the block with Macy close behind him. Thankfully, they were able to outrun the reporter. Thus, they were able to reach the firehouse with no one following them.

"What happened to you two?" Sandy asked them when she noticed them both panting for air.

"The paparazzi," Macy answered her as she and Nick tried to catch their breath. "He was taking pictures of us so we ran for it."

"Yeah," Nick agreed and turned to Macy. "You still think we're going to have a drama free year?"

Macy sighed and shook her head. If the past year was any indication of what the future may bring, Macy Misa knew that she needed to brace herself for even more drama. This summer taught her that she had a great support system behind her. Stella, the Lucas family, her mom, and especially Nick gave her strength to keep her grounded.

"It's okay, Mace," Nick said as he planted a quick kiss on her lips. "Whatever happens in the future, I'll always be here for you. Trust me."

"Thanks, Nick," Macy said as she gave him a hug in return. "I trust you with all my heart."

And that promise of trust was enough to bring these two love-sick teens comfort and strength for whatever their senior year in high school would bring. But if this summer proved anything, it was that Nick and Macy depended on each other with all their might. Thus, no matter how uncertain the future may be, they knew that they could always count on each other.

And with their trust, they learned to love and accept each other through thick and thin.

**THE END.**

* * *

**Closing Remarks:**

**GUESS WHO'S BACK?**

Anyway, I'd like to say that I am truly sorry that I kept delaying this story. **I am really sorry for making you guys wait for so long! **Thanks to **SNOUPY**, who kept private messaging me about when I will update this story, that I was motivated to put an end to this story. I was so busy with so many things that I unfortunately did not give much attention to closing this story up. I kept telling people who messaged me that I would put the next chapter in a next week or so but I was always busy with something else. But I realize these are all excuses. To be honest, I lost my creative streak and really did not feel motivated about finishing this story. However, I knew Macy and Nick deserve a happy ending. I just hope that I still have my loyal readers out there who will read this final chapter of this long story. This is my longest story to date! The next story lined up is **Secret Liaisons**. But to be honest, I am hesitant to continue that story only because I am in a long distance relationship myself. I began that story when I was single so the scenarios that I will think up will only make me more paranoid about what my boyfriend is doing across the country where he lives. But nevertheless, I don't like leaving a story unfinished so I might update that next or possibly start a new story that does not concern long-distance relationships. I don't know. These are all ideas in my head. I think slowly my creative streak is returning. I look back at my past work and wonder to myself, _How on earth did I manage to upload chapters day by day?_ I was really on a roll back then. LOL. Hopefully, I get back to that momentum again. But I'll be honest. I was just lazy. And you guys don't deserve that. So if you can please find it in all your hearts to forgive me for this long over-due return, please REVIEW. I hope you guys are still enthusiastic about NACY! Your excitement and encouragement is what drives me to create stories like these.

For this story I did not add an epilogue because some of you have already expressed that you would like to see a sequel to this story. Thus, when I do get inspired (which could be pretty soon since I have some ideas already floating in my head), I feel like the next part of Nick and Macy's story will take place during their senior year at Horace Mantis Academy. Hopefully, I still have my loyal readers out there and that you guys can continue to show me your support. You guys are awesome. And I just realized that I have been a member on this site for a year! Thank you for appreciating my work. You guys rock!

**So please read and REVIEW! I'll be so happy and grateful if you do! Remember it's because of you that I try to make even more dramatic and hopefully better stories for you to enjoy. It really is a pleasure for me to write. I miss this. I miss fanfiction and that's why I decided to come back after four months of not writing. :-)**

**SO PRETTY PLEASE REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! THANK YOU!**

-Penelope36


End file.
